Did you know that Aluminum is one of the most commonly used elements on Earth?
It is very versatile and can be used on so many different levels to provide a number of different uses and purposes. It has been used for a very long time now, after it was first discovered by Hans Christian Oersted back in 1825. We use aluminum in everyday life, and in a number of different situations.
The atomic number for this element is 13, while the symbol is AL. You might have learned a bit about this element while in school, whether that was high school or college, but you might not have retained a lot of that knowledge. The purpose of this article is to provide you with essential information concerning the most important and distict properties of this material type.
Chemical Properties
There are both physical and chemical properties that are important to understand. Both of those properties are combined together to create the overall product and what you ultimately end up with. We will take a look at both the physical and chemical properties.
Some of the physical properties include: a distinct color that separates it from other metals. It appears to be a white/silver color. A temperature of 660.4 degrees Celsius is the melting point for aluminum. It will boil at a Fahrenheit temperature of 4472.33. The weight of aluminum is 26.98154, with a 143.1 pm atomic radius. It is a non-magnetic material as well as malleable. There are three isotopes in aluminum, and 16 artificial isotopes inside.
Chemical properties include the following: AL forms what is known as aluminum oxide when it comes into contact with oxygen. It is known as a skin because it provided the material with a protective layer that protects it from corrosion. Although this skin is there for protection, aluminum is a highly flammable material that can easily catch on fire when flames are exposed and it is still in its powdered form. Alkalis and acid is reactive to the aluminum compound.
With the physical and chemical properties of aluminum combined, it easily turns into a versatile metal. Aluminum can be used in metal form for the creation of a wide variety of products. Chances are you even use a few products that have been made of aluminum. Pressure Washer valves, pumps and gearboxes are mainly comprised of die cast AL Alloy. AL material is the most widely used material in Automobiles.
Aluminum is also oftentimes used to create industrial machines and die cast parts.
