The Treasures of the Earth Documentary

The documentary starts by explaining the origins of metals such as gold, copper, and brass, as well as how they were found and smelted by man. The composition and physical properties of the metal are also investigated in the documentary, providing the spectator with a thorough knowledge of the minerals under consideration. Good diagrams in the film are beneficial in that they provide the audience with a greater comprehension of the subject under review. An example is an illustration of gold’s reflecting power (Nova). The ordered progression of metal discoveries and their uses reduces confusion since a chronology of events is created in the mind of the viewer. Not only does the documentary address the advantages of metals such as steel which is robust it also addresses the disadvantages such as steel being heavy as opposed to aluminum. The documentary gives a holistic view of what metals are; how they are made, extracted and their uses.
Super Elements BBC Documentary.
This documentary investigates rare earth metals; the extraction, physical, structural, and chemical properties, and their uses. The presence of a host makes it easy for viewers to pay attention continuously during the narration and demonstration of the metal properties. Illustration of the features and uses of all the metals such as rhenium has been done in such a simple manner that is easy to follow and understand. Rare earth elements have been explained in using simple to understand language with most of the explanations occurring in the field where they are conducted with demonstrations. An example is during the investigation of the properties of helium as a gas and as a superfluid. During the study, the viewer can understand the actual capabilities of super-fluids such as being able to pass through solid materials such as rubber corks in the demonstration which is attributed to their frictionless flow (BBC). Not only does the documentary concentrate on the physical and chemical properties of the elements it also concentrates on other aspects such as mining costs and possible remedies.
Comparison
The two documentaries are all investigating various metals which have utility in the lives of human beings. Metals such as gold, copper, steel, niobium all have multiple uses ranging from construction to transportation making their availability crucial for the survival of man. However, the first documentary is an investigation of widely known metals such as gold and their utility while the second documentary is on rare earth metals such as rhenium which have unique properties. The main difference between old metals and the rare earth is in their properties and abundance. While old metals like copper and iron are in abundance rare earth metals like niobium and rhenium are scarce to find making them more expensive to produce. As for properties, rare earth metals are super elements making them have unique features such as super strength as opposed to old metals like copper and iron which have limitations.

Works Cited
BBC Documentary. “Super Elements BBC Documentary 2017 Rare Earth Metals Documentary Super Materials” YouTube, Uploaded by Studio129, 30th Jul 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–8UOXDU4u8
Nova Documentary. “Treasures of the Earth: Metals – Nova Documentary [HD]” YouTube, Uploaded by Larry Grove, 10th November 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aV9mDpejBA