Reef Chemistry Puzzle #19 I am a mystery when alone

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Reef Chemistry Puzzle #19

This is a tough one, unless you look up the last clue. Try not doing that first. lol

1. When I am written out and all alone, no one can be sure what I am or how to say my name
2. I sometimes happen over and over at regular intervals
3. For many years, Randy had a table of this type hanging on his work office wall
4. I contain the highest oxidation state of iodine and would be very rare in a reef aquarium

Good luck!

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Randy Holmes-Farley

Randy Holmes-Farley

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If the answer is elemental iodine I'm gonna eat my hat.

It's not, so you do not need to worry. lol

If focusing on clue 4, the oxidation state is much higher than I2, just like chlorine has some forms in a much higher oxidation state than Cl2.
 
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Randy Holmes-Farley

Randy Holmes-Farley

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And the answer is: periodic

Congrats to the folks who got it!


1. When I am written out and all alone, no one can be sure what I am or how to say my name

A homonym. In this case it could mean repeating in a regular fashion, or periodic acid, HIO4 or H5IO6



2. I sometimes happen over and over at regular intervals

Repeating definition of periodic

3. For many years, Randy had a table of this type hanging on his work office wall

I had a large periodic table on my office wall. It was huge, maybe 3 feet tall by 4 feet wide, for classrooms. I could just glance up to get things like atomic weights.

4. I contain the highest oxidation state of iodine and would be very rare in a reef aquarium

Periodic acid or periodate are have iodine in the +7 oxidation state. A very strong oxidizer.

Sorry, I know this one was hard.

Happy Reefing!
 

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