Name_________________________________________________
1. What are the reasons the humans are on Pandora?
2. Why is there a military presence on Pandora?
3. What is unobtanium?
4. What might be some of the special properties of unobtanium that would justify the actions taken by humans to
obtain it?
5. What do you think humans use unobtanium for back on earth? Be creative.
6. Do you think people back on earth know what is happening on Pandora? Are most people aware that the Na’vi
are being exploited and killed in order to attain this precious metal?
7. How do science and economics depend on each other during the movie?
8. How do science and the military depend on each other?
9. Cite some real world examples that make the destruction of the Na’vi and their habitat by the humans
believeable. (Do we have a history of this? Blood mineral, Coltan?)
10. What lessons are there in the movie that could apply to our own planet?
All elements have special properties that make them useful to humans. For example:
alkali metal, francium can be used to make explosives.
alkaline earth metal, magnesium is used to make light weight metal alloys for airplanes.
Transition metal, tantalum is used to make cell phones and ipods.
Halogen, fluorine is used to protect tooth decay and is a common ingredient in toothpaste.
Noble gas, helium is used to lift hot air balloons and fill blimps.
So what is unobtanium used for?
Your project over the break is to predict the use and properties of unobtanium. Use the information below to guide
your answer.
1. Decide what unobtanium is used for and why it is so precious to humans. Be creative! You can make
unobtanium into anything you can imagine! What new technologies are the humans using in the film that might
require new elements? How do you think human society will change in the future? What new needs will
humans have in the future? Do we need a special element to fuel our flying cars? Do we need a special element
to use as a new cure to cancer? Will we need a new source of fuel after the fossil fuels disappear in 50-75
years? Is unobtanium used to make the new spaceships that transport the humans to various planets and
moons? The possibilities are endless! (10 points)
2. After you have chosen the use of unobtanium you need to create a square from the periodic table to show
unobtanium’s characteristics. Where does unobtanium fit into the periodic table? (10 points)
a. What is unobtaniums symbol?
b. What is the atomic number? Atomic mass?
c. Is unobtanium a metal, non-metal or metalloid?
d. Is it an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, a halogen or noble gas?
e. What period does it fall into? What group?
f. How many valence electrons does it have?
g. Does it have a full valence shell?
h. Is it highly reactive or inert?
i. Is it a heavy atom (located at the bottom of the table, or a light atom located at the top of the table?
3. At the end of the movie, the humans are forcibly removed from Pandora. How will the humans survive without
unobtanium after they can no longer abuse Pandora and the Na’vi? Write a short narrative of what life is like on
earth without unobtanium. (10 points)
Remember: There are no wrong answers! Just create this element using your imagination and your
knowledge of the periodic table!
Example answer:
1. Unobtanium is a new fuel that was discovered on Pandora. The humans need unobtanium because all the fossil
fuels on earth are gone! Unobtanium is the solution to the energy crisis that humans experienced between
2000-2050. Unobtanium is a clean fuel that does not pollute the earth. In fact, unobtanium can be used to
remove pollution from the air or water while it is producing energy! It’s pretty amazing stuff. The humans will
go to any length to mine and sell unobtanium because it has been so useful that human society now depends on
it. The humans will even invade another planet and kill the native species in order to mine the unobtanium.
2. Properties of unobtanium
Symbol: Uum
Atomic # = 79.5 (fits between gold and mercury), Atomic mass = 198.28 (heavier than gold, lighter than
mercury)
Unobtanium is a metal.
1 valence electron.
No, it does not have a full valence shell.
It is a transition metal.
It is in period 6, group 11.
It is slightly reactive.
It is heavy. Located near the bottom of the table.
198.28 +1
79.5
Uum
2-8-18-18-18-1
3. After the humans are kicked off of Pandora their new clean source of energy is taken away. The humans had
enough unobtanium to continue to make power for 1 year. During that 1 year the humans have to develop
other clean sources of energy. Humans finally decide to invest money into wind, solar, and geothermal energy.
After the unobtanium runs out there were several power outages that lasted more than a week. Society is a
little bit chaotic without energy, but the chaos forces energy companies to figure things out fast! By the 2nd year
without unobtanium the humans have developed their clean energy plants. Society is no longer chaotic,
humans have finally found a way to live comfortably without exploiting another planet.
Use the space below to take notes and brainstorm about unobtanium during the movie. These notes should help you
complete your project over the break!