Germanium

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/germanium

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Germanium?1886
2. What is the chemical symbol?Ge
3. What is the atomic number?32
4. What is germanium and why is it special?Germanium is a shiny grayish metal that can act like a switch in electronics because it can control how easily electricity flows. It is a metalloid, meaning it has properties of both metals and insulators.
5. How was germanium discovered?In 1886, a scientist named Clemens Winkler found germanium in a mineral called argyrodite. He proved it was a new element, confirming predictions made by Mendeleev.

Metalloid: An element exhibiting properties intermediate between those of metals and nonmetals.
Semiconductor: A substance that exhibits electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator, crucial for electronic devices.
Infrared Optics: Lenses and materials designed to transmit or manipulate infrared light, used in thermal imaging and night vision.
Electron Mobility: A measure of how quickly electrons can move through a material under the influence of an electric field, important for high-speed electronics.