Bismuth
Bismuth is a metallic chemical element. It is brittle, has a high luster, and is greyish-white with a red or pink tinge. Bismuth is relatively inactive chemically at normal temperatures, but when bismuth is heated in air it burns. It is soluble in strong acids such as aqua regia and nitric acid. Bismuth combines directly with fluorine and the other halogen elements, as well as with sulfur and selenium.
Bismuth has some unusual physical properties. It is one of only two elements that expands upon solidifying. Except for mercury, bismuth is the poorest heat conductor of all the metals. Bismuth’s electrical resistance increases in a magnetic field. This property is greater in bismuth than in other metals.
Bismuth occurs in nature as a free metal, but is more common in ores that contain other elements. The principal ores are bismite (Bi2O3) and bismuthinite (Bi2S3). Most bismuth is recovered as a by-product from the mining of lead, copper, tin and zinc. The leading producers of bismuth are Mexico, China, Peru, Australia and Japan.
Bismuth in impure form was known to the alchemists of the Middle Ages. It was first identified as a separate element in 1753 by Claude Franois Geoffroy, a French chemist.
Bismuth is used chiefly to make low-melting point alloys. These alloys are used in electrical fuses and water- heater safety valves, and also in fire detectors and automatic sprinkler systems. Bismuth is sometimes added to alloys of iron, steel and aluminum to improve the machining qualities of these alloys. Other uses of bismuth are in drugs, cosmetics, glass and ceramics.
The symbol of bismuth is Bi. Its atomic number is 83. Its atomic weight is 208.9804. Bismuth has melting point of 520.34 F. (271.3 C.). Bismuth has boiling point of 2,840 F. (1,560 C.). The specific gravity of bismuth is 9.8. It belongs to Group VA of the Periodic Table and may have a valence of +3 or +5. Several radioactive isotopes of bismuth are known. Only one isotope, Bi-209, is stable.
Vocabulary notes
bismuth висмут
a luster блеск
a high luster сильный блеск
aqua regia царская водка
fluorine фтор
sulfur сера
selenium селен
as well as также
to expand расширяться, увеличиваться
upon solidifying при затвердевании
except for за исключением
mercury ртуть
a heat conductor теплопроводник
electrical resistance электрическое сопротивление
to increase увеличиваться
a magnetic field магнитное поле
bismite висмутовая охра
bismuthinite бисмутинит
to recover получать, восстанавливать
a by-product побочный продукт
impure form не чистая форма
the Middle Ages средневековье
a separate element отдельный элемент
low-melting point alloys легкоплавкие сплавы
electrical fuses электрические предохранители
water- heater safety valves предохранительные клапаны водонагревателей
fire detectors пожарные извещатели
automatic sprinkler systems автоматические противопожарные системы
steel сталь
to improve улучшать
machining qualities качество обработки на станке
Достарыңызбен бөлісу: |