Q 01/05

What is the chemical symbol for lithium?

A) Lm

B) Li

C) Lt

D) L

Answer · why

B) Li

Li is its symbol, and people who take lithium as a medicine have regular blood tests, since too much of it in the blood can be toxic.

Q 02/05

Lithium follows which element in the periodic table?

A) Hydrogen

B) Beryllium

C) Helium

D) Neon

Answer · why

C) Helium

Helium comes just before it, and because helium's two electrons fill the first shell, lithium's third electron has to start a new one, opening the tab...

Q 03/05

The name lithium comes from the Greek word for what?

A) Stone

B) Light

C) Fire

D) Salt

Answer · why

A) Stone

Stone was chosen, it is thought, because lithium was found in a mineral, while the similar metals already known had been traced to plants or animals.

Q 04/05

Lithium holds which record among all metals under standard conditions?

A) Best conductor

B) Least dense

C) Hardest

D) Highest melting point

Answer · why

B) Least dense

Least dense of all metals, lithium is only about half as dense as water, so it floats even on oil.

Q 05/05

In 2013, which new airliner was grounded worldwide after its lithium-ion batteries overheated and caught fire?

A) Airbus A380

B) Airbus A350

C) Boeing 747-8

D) Boeing 787

Answer · why

D) Boeing 787

Boeing 787 jets stayed on the ground for about three months, until Boeing redesigned the battery system so any fire would be contained.