Given the following goals and materials, create a procedural that would allow the completion of the goal, then briefly explain why it would work.

Question

Goal: To identify an unknown element 

 

Materials: Lithium, Calcium, Aluminum, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Iodine, Helium 

Answer 1

I won't give you the complete answer, but you just need to compare the unknown element with the given elements.  Half of them are gases, the others are solids at room temperature.  Some are different colors.  How does the unknown react with each one?  What else can you think of to narrow down the possibilities?