|
|
Article: Aluminum
- Article from:
- Chemistry: Foundations and Applications
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Aluminum
melting point:
660.32
°
C
boiling point: 2,519
°
C
density: 2.70 g/cm
3
most common ions: Al
3+
Aluminum is a silvery-white metallic element discovered in 1825 by Danish chemist Hans Christian
Ø
rsted. It is the most abundant
metal
found in Earth's crust, comprising 8.3 percent of the crust's total weight. Its content in seawater, however, is as low as 0.01 gram per metric ton (0.01 part per million). The key
isotope
of aluminum is
27
Al with a natural abundance of 100 percent, but seven other isotopes are known, one of which is used as a radioactive tracer (
26
Al).
Aluminum is not found in its metallic state in nature; it is usually found as silicate, oxide, or ...