aluminum

Aluminum  Symbol: AL Atomic Number: 13 Most Common Mass Number: 27 Physical State at room temperature: Solid // Alumen: Means Aluminum in Latin No special meaning. // Use: It is extensively used for kitchen utensils, outside building decoration, and in thousands of industrial applications where a strong, light, easily constructed material is needed. The biological importance: It is toxic to most plants and somewhat toxic to mammals. It has also been connected to Alzheimer’s disease. Aluminum was dicovereds by Hans Christian Oersted at 1825 in Denmark.

Physical Property: Aluminum is a shiny, silvery white colored metal that is light in weight and strong.The density of aluminum is 2.7 g/mL, which means the metal will sink in water, but is still relatively light. Chemical Properties: The surface of aluminum metal is covered with a thin layer of oxide that helps protect the metal from attack by air. So, normally, aluminum metal does not react with air. If the oxide layer is damaged, the aluminum metal is exposed to attack. Aluminum will burn in oxygen with a brilliant white flame to form the trioxide aluminum(III) oxide, Al2O3.

Common Compound: Alumina

Ions: None

Isotopes: None

Video on how to make Aluminum foil: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/243702/how_foil_is_made/

Extra Info.:In 1761 L. B. G de Morveau proposed the name //alumine// for the base in alum, and in 1787 [|Lavoisier] definitely identified it as the oxide of a still undiscovered metal. In 1807 Sir [|Humphrey Davy] proposed the name //aluminum// for this metal and later agreed to change it to //aluminum//. Shortly thereafter, the name //aluminium// was adopted to conform to the "ium" ending of most elements, and this spelling is now in general use throughout the world. Aluminum was also the accepted spelling in the United States until 1925 when the American Chemical Society officially reverted to aluminum. [|Hans Christian Oersted] is now generally credited with having been the first to prepare metallic aluminum.

__REFERENCE__

http://nautilus.fis.uc.pt/st2.5/scenes-e/elem/e01310.html

http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/102aluminum.html

http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele013.html

http://www.trufax.org/general/aluminum.html

http://www.eriding.net/media/photos/environment/recycling/070524_cbrown_mp_env_recyc_006.jpg

http://www.alfed.org.uk/files/ALFEDX0001/aluminium_image6.jpg

http://www.webelements.com/aluminium/history.html