Meltdown Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gold

Gold has a wide variety of applications including high-end electronics and jewelry making.

Copper melts at 1084 degrees Celsius and while it can be used for domes is often not a preferred metal as it corrodes over time.

Stainless steel melts at 1510 degrees Celsius and is used for tools and non-plated silverware.

Cast iron melts at 1175 - 1290 degrees Celsius and is used for cookware, cannons and cannon balls.

Answer: Tungsten

Tungsten melts at 3400 degrees Celsius. It is used as a filament in some light bulbs.

Tantalum has a melting point of 2980 degrees Celsius. It is used as a substitute for more costly platinum.

Iridium melts at 2450 degrees Celsius. Its main use is as a hardening agent for platinum.

Molybdenum melts at 2620 degrees Celsius. One use is in missile and aircraft parts.

Answer: Mercury

Mercury is the only metal with a negative melting point which is -38.86 degrees Celsius. Its natural form is as a liquid.

Gallium melts at 29.78 degrees Celsius. That means it would be liquid on a warm day or in your hand. It is used in thermometers.

Selenium melts at 217 degrees Celsius. It is used in the glass industry to decolorize glass.

Tin melts at 232 degrees Celsius. It is often used for food storage and preservation.

Answer: Nickel

Nickel is combined with copper to make US nickels (5 cent piece).

The melting temperature of lead is 327.5 degrees Celsius. It is used in weights (diving) and car batteries.

Monel has a melting temperature of 1300 - 1350 degrees Celsius. It is a nickel-copper alloy and is used when a corrosive-resistant metal is needed.

Zinc has a melting temperature of 419.5 degrees Celsius. It is used as a way to galvanize (coat) iron and steel to protect them from rust.

Answer: Titanium

The titanium "skin" covering of the Blackbird is not a smooth skin but is corrugated.

Aluminum melts at 660 degrees Celsius and is used for pop cans and as cooking foil.

The melting point of vanadium is 1900 degrees Celsius. Its uses include improving steel and production of aerospace titanium.

Incoloy is used in the construction industry as it resists oxidation and carburization. Its melting point is 1390 - 1425 degrees Celsius.

Answer: Brass

Brass has a melting temperature of 930 degrees Celsius. When sunken ships are discovered, items made of brass are often found.

The melting point of Carbon steel is 1425 - 1540 degrees Celsius. It is the most commonly used steel in the United States and is used in tools such as chisels.

Bismuth has a melting point of 271.4 degrees Celsius. Its uses include medicine and cosmetics.

Red brass has the melting point of 990 - 1025 degrees Celsius and is used in making cheap jewelry and plumbing pipe.

Answer: Platinum

The melting temperature of platinum is 1770 degrees Celsius. It is a very expensive metal. It is also used in computers.

Titanium has a melting temperature of 1670 degrees Celsius and is very durable.

Silver has a melting temperature of 961 degrees Celsius. It has many uses such as electronics, jewelry and photography.

Gold has a melting temperature of 1063 degrees Celsius. Its main use has been as a currency.

Answer: Aluminum

Aluminum is easily melted and is popular with "backyard" craftsmen. It can be melted into egg and cube shapes to name just a few possibilities.

Silicon melts at a temperature of 1411 degrees Celsius. One of its uses is as microchips in computers.

Inconel has a melting point of 1390 - 1425 degrees Celsius. It is used for high mechanical stress situations and petrochemical processing.

Cupronickel is utilized as a replacement for silver in British coins and melts at 1170 - 1240 degrees Celsius.

Answer: Magnesium

Magnesium melts at a temperature of 650 degrees Celsius.

Selenium has a melting temperature of 217 degrees Celsius. Its suggested use is as an anti-oxidant supplement.

The melting temperature of manganese is 1244 degrees Celsius. It is being tested for use in Parkinson's Disease. It is found in whole grains like cereals. It can also be found in fruit.

Potassium melts at 63.3 degrees Celsius. It may be used as a supplement to improve muscle function. It is contained in bananas and tomatoes.

Answer: Cadmium

Cadmium is obtained as a by-product of smelting of copper or lead.

Beryllium copper has a melting point of 865 - 955 degrees Celsius. It is used to make golf clubs and is utilized in many other industries.

Chromium is used in plating and welding and melts at a temperature of 1860 degrees Celsius.

Rhodium has a melting temperature of 1965 degrees Celsius. The making of jewelry and as electrical contacts are some of its uses.