Aluminium
Proton No. 13
Essential :)
Atomic number: 13
Symbol: Al
Atomic Mass: 26.981539 amu
Melting Point: 660.37 °C (low melting point)
Boiling Point: 2467.0 °C
Classification: Metals
Colour: Silver
Crystal structure: Face centered Cubic
Date of Discovery: 1825
Discoverer: Hans Christian Oersted
Name Origin: From the Latin word alumen which means “bitter salt”
Uses: airplanes, soda cans
Density: 2.70g/cm3
Obtained From: bauxite
FACTS :)
· Aluminium is the most abundant metal and the third most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust, after oxygen and silicon.
· It takes up 8% by weight of the Earth’s solid surface
· It is light, non-toxic, and can be easily machined or cast
· It is used extensively for electrical transmission lines as it has a high electrical conductivity
· Recycling aluminium saves a considerable amount of energy. Why? Aluminium is already in its metallic state so it only has to be melted to be reused.
· Aluminium is corrosion resistant because there is a thin layer of aluminium oxide that forms when the metal is exposed to air, effectively preventing further oxidation.
· It is non-magnetic
· Aluminium does not occur in nature in its pure form. It is only found in combinations with other minerals.
Other Fun Facts
· Recycling one aluminium can saves enough energy to keep a 100 watt bulb burning for almost 4 hours or to provide enough energy to power a television for 3 hours
· 350,000 aluminium cans can be made in 1 minute
· Every 3 months, Americans discard enough aluminium to completely rebuild every single commercial airplane in the United States