What is Bismuth?
Bismuth is a chemical element with symbol Bi and atomic number 83. There are several interesting facts about Bismuth. It was discovered in 1803 by the German chemist Friedrich Wöhler, who extracted it from its ore bismuthinite. The name of the element comes from
Introduction
Bismuth is a chemical element with the symbol Bi and atomic number 83. It has two allotropes, bismuth metal (bismuth) and bismuth oxide (bismuth trioxide). The name of this element comes from the Greek word “bis” meaning twice or double. This refers to its two stable oxidation states: +3 and +5.
Bismuth was discovered by German chemist Friedrich Wöhler in 1828. He found that heating barium carbonate produced an insoluble black powder which he called “black earth”. When heated further it became red-brown and finally yellow. Wöhler thought that the substance might be a new form of antimony but when he analyzed the substance using his newly invented spectroscope, he realized that it had no connection to antimony. In fact, the substance turned out to be a completely new element.
Bismuth is one of the rarest elements on Earth. Only about 1 part per trillion occurs naturally. Most of what we use as bismuth comes from mining operations. There are several interesting facts about Bismuth.
The first known occurrence of bismuth was at a mine near Mount Vesuvius in Italy. There are also occurrences of bismuth in Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States and Zimbabwe.
There are several interesting facts about Bismuth. The largest concentration of bismuth is found in the mineral bastnäsite. Bastnäsite contains approximately 0.2% bismuth by weight.
Bismuth can be used for many purposes. For example, it is used in making batteries, semiconductors, ceramics, glassware, pharmaceuticals, catalysts, pigments, lubricants, cosmetics, paints, dental amalgams, thermometers, X-ray screens, and photographic film.
Bismuth compounds are toxic if ingested. They cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, confusion, seizures, coma, and death.
Chemical Properties Of Bismuth
Molecular Weight:
191.1 g/mol
Boiling Point:
1185 °C
Melting Point:
1222 °C
Density:
8.4 grams per cubic centimeter
Atomic Number:
83
Electron Configuration:
4f14 5d6 6s1
Periodic Table
Group:
Group 14 – Transition Metals
Valence Shell Electron Count:
10 2 4 8 6
Oxidation State:
+3
Isotopes:
Bi-81, Bi-82, Bi-83
Natural Abundance:
99.9%
Natural Isotopic Composition:
(84.7%) +(15.3%)
Radioactivity:
Half Life:
67.0 years
Heavy Metal
History of Bismuth
In ancient times, people believed that bismuth could heal wounds and cure diseases. Hippocrates recommended bismuth as a treatment for syphilis. During the Middle Ages, bismuth was used to treat toothaches.
During World War II, bismuth was added to bullets so they would not jam during firing. After the war, scientists began looking into the properties of bismuth. They found that it could be used to create a new type of battery. Today, most of the world’s supply of bismuth comes from mines in Bolivia, Chile, Indonesia, Peru, Spain, and Zambia. There are several interesting facts about Bismuth.
Bismuth and Thermal Conductivity
Thermal conductivity is the ability of a material to transfer heat through itself. Materials with high thermal conductivity are good insulators because they do not allow heat to pass through them easily. Materials with low thermal conductivity are good conductors because they allow heat to flow freely through them.
Materials with high thermal conductivity include metals such as copper, silver, aluminum, gold, lead, platinum, and nickel. These materials have very smooth surfaces and are often shiny. The atoms in this element move quickly around their own nucleus when heated. This makes these metals easy to heat up.
Materials with low thermal conductivity include rocks like granite and marble. Because the atoms in these materials are packed closely together, there is little room for movement. As a result, heat does not travel well through these materials.
Bismuth has a relatively high thermal conductivity. It is about 1.5 times more conductive than steel. This means that bismuth is an excellent conductor of heat.
Uses of Bismuth
Bismuth is used in many different ways. Some common uses include:
Thermometer
Bismuth is one of the few elements that can be used to make a temperature gauge. When placed on a hot surface, bismuth will expand and cool down. If you place a piece of bismuth next to your body, it will absorb some of your body heat. This causes the bismuth to get cold and contract. A thermometer made of bismuth can measure how much heat is absorbed by your body.
Clocks
Bismuth can also be used to make clocks. Most clocks use quartz crystals to keep time. Quartz crystals are brittle and break easily. Bismuth is less brittle and doesn’t break easily. This makes it perfect for making clocks.
Electrodes
Bismuth is sometimes used to make electrodes. Electrodes are pieces of metal that connect two other objects.
Conclusion
The history of bismuth goes back thousands of years. In ancient times, bismuth was thought to have healing powers. Today, bismuth is still being studied to find out what its future holds.
There are several interesting facts about Bismuth. Claude Geoffroy St-Hilaire discovered bismuth in 1812. He named it after his friend, Pierre Jean Baptiste Lecoq de Boisbuchet.
According to Wikipedia, bismuth is used in the following products:
Thermometers
Clocks
Electrodes
Jewelry
Medicine
Dentistry
Biochemistry
Electrical Resistance
I think the best way to answer this question is to look at the periodic table and see where bismuth fits in.
It is located between gallium (Ga) and indium (In), which are both found in the same group of the periodic table.
It is also located between tin (Sn) and antimony (Sb).
If we look at the properties of each of those elements, we can see that bismuth is similar to tin.
Tin is a soft metal that melts at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bismuth is a hard metal that melts at 721 degrees Farenheit.
Bismuth’s melting point is higher than most metals.
Bismuth is a good conductor of heat.
Tin is a poor conductor of heat.
Bismuth has a high thermal conductivity.
Tins has a low thermal conductivity.
Bismuth conducts electricity.
Tin does not conduct electricity.
Bismuth can be used to make thermometers.
Tin cannot be used to make thermometer because it breaks easily.
Bismuth makes better clock than tin.
Tin makes better clock than bismuth.
Bismuth helps to make better electrode than tin or lead.
Lead makes better electrode than tin or bismuth.
I hope this helped you!
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