COBALT
BY: JULIAN JUAREZ
ATOMIC NUMBER AND ATOMIC MASS.
Atomic Number: 27
Atomic Mass: 59
DISCOVERED BY:
Cobalt-59 was discovered by Georg Brandt
ISOTOPE RELATIVE ABUNDANCE
Abundance earth’s crust: 25 parts per million by weight, 8 parts per million by moles.
Abundance solar system: 4 parts per million by weight, 0.7 parts per million by moles.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Cobalt-59 is a sturdy, gray metal which resembles iron and nickel.
When combined with another metal to make an alloy, its magnetic properties are even more apparent than the individual metal of cobalt.
USES OF COBALT
Widely used in batteries and in electroplating.
Radioactive Cobalt-60 is used in the treatment of cancer.
INTERESTING FACTS
Cobalt comes from the German word Kobald, which refers to a goblin or evil spirit. It also has roots in the Greek word Cobalos, which means "mine'.
Cobalt is also used as a blue coloring agent in paints, inks, glass, ceramics, and even cosmetics.