Only the aluminum atoms on the surface, however, react with oxygen. In fact, once extracted into its pure form, it almost immediately reacts with oxygen in the air. It is extremely reactive, and for this reason, it is not found in its pure form in nature. Luckily, we’ll never be around boiling aluminum, so no need to worry about breathing it in our lungs! Chemical PropertiesĪluminum has three valence electrons (or three electrons in the outermost part of its atomic structure). It’s a frightening thought to consider aluminum vapor in the air. Aluminum also is non-magnetic, so no, we won’t be able to use a refrigerator magnet to retrieve that ball of aluminum foil we sunk in water.Īluminum’s melting point is 1,221☏, and its boiling point is a whopping 4,478☏. It is one of the most ductile metals (meaning it is able to be deformed, such as into a thin wire, without losing its toughness), and it is one of the most malleable metals (meaning it is able to be hammered or pressed thin without breaking or cracking). Its density is 2.7 g/cm3, which is only about three times the density of water, meaning that even though the aluminum foil in your kitchen feels light, a ball of it will still sink in water. It is also a great conductor of electricity and heat, so if you ever see your little brother attempting to put any aluminum foil in an electrical socket, stop him! (In fact, if you see your little brother trying to put anything in an electrical socket, you should stop him.)Īluminum is light compared to most metals. It is a post-transition metal (also called a poor metal), which means that it is softer and has a lower melting point and boiling point than regular metals. Properties of Aluminum Physical PropertiesĪluminum is solid at room temperature, and it’s a relatively strong metal, especially considering how lightweight it is. There are a total of 27 aluminum isotopes. Aluminum is located in the second period of the periodic table, which means the aluminum atom has two orbitals for its electrons. None of the elements in the boron group ever existed in their pure form before technology in chemistry provided the ability to isolate them. All of the elements in this group are metals with variations of a silvery-white color except for boron. It is located in the boron group, which is the thirteenth column in the periodic table. It has an atomic radius of 143 picometers. Its atomic mass is 26.981539, and it has 14 neutrons. Its atomic number is 13, and accordingly, it has 13 protons and 13 electrons, giving it a net charge of 0. Aluminum is the most abundant metal and the third most abundant element on Earth. You may already be familiar with aluminum if you drink soda from a can or if you use aluminum foil to wrap up leftover food. Aluminum is a silvery-white, solid metal and is the 13th chemical element on the periodic table.
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