Metals By Jibrail Cheema

Sodium (Na) Compounds of Sodium have been known since Ancient times. However it was first discovered/extracted from caustic soda in 1807 by the same person who first extracted Calcium, Sir Humphrey Davy . To extract sodium, the same electrolysis method is used on molten sodium. Sodium is a highly reactive soft, silvery-white metal. It’s melting point is only 97.72 C and the boiling point is 882.8 C. Sodium compounds are used a lot in everyday life. Sodium Fluoride is used in toothpaste to help protect and whiten our teeth. Finally, Sodium Hydroxide is used in the production of soaps and paper.

Calcium (Ca) Although calcium was known since Roman times as a component of lime, it was only first separated in 1808 by an Englishman, Sir Humphrey Davy. He used electrolysis to extract Calcium and that is still the method used for extraction. It is the method of melting down the compound that includes Calcium, then an electrical current is passed through the molten compound, which releases pure calcium. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal. It is very reactive which is why it is never found on its own, it has to be extracted from a compound. Its melting point being 842 C and its boiling point 1484 C.

Iron (Fe) No one knows who discovered it, though its existence has been known for many years. Iron is extracted from Iron Ore when Iron Ore is mixed with coking coal and limestone, then heated in a blast furnace. The coke burns in a forced stream of preheated air and reduces the Iron Ore to just Iron. Iron is a strong solid with a high melting point, 1538 C, and a boiling point of 2,862 C. Today iron is used for many things everything. It is used in construction and for everyday tools like cutlery it is also used for transportation vehicles.

Potassium (K) Potassium was also discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1807. It is also extracted using the same method that Sir Humphrey used for Calcium and Sodium, which is electrolysis. Potassium is a soft silver-white alkali metal that is highly reactive. It has a very low melting point which is 63.38 C, though its boiling point is 758.8 C. Almost all of the potassium in the world is used in fertilizers. As potassium ions are a vital part of plant nutrition, crops and trees must be grown in soil with high amounts of potassium ions. A salt containing potassium is the main component in baking powder.

Gold (Au) The discovery of gold is also unknown, it has been public since ancient times. These days gold is extracted from Gold Ore in difficult ways. First it is broken down into pieces as small as road gravel. Then a solution of cyanide is dipped over a pile of gold ore. The solution dissolves the gold out of rocks and can then be separated from the solution. This process is known as cyanide leaching. Gold is also a really strong solid which is really hard to destroy, with its melting point being 1,064 C and it’s boiling point 2,856 C. Over the centuries it has been used for coins, jewelry and now it is even used as a medical cure for some sicknesses.

Silver (Ag) Although the origin of Silver is unclear, many people believe Silver was discovered long ago in 5632 by Artaxias Fortunas. Silver is extracted from its ore by chemical leaching or smelting. Silver is a rare and expensive white transition-metal. It is a little harder than gold but also very ductile and malleable. It’s melting point is 962 C and it’s boiling point 2,163 C. Silver is used for many important things. It is used to create currency, jewelry, photography, electronics, mirrors.

Yttrium (Y) Yttrium was discovered in 1789 by a Finnish Scientist Johan Gadolin. Today it is extracted through an ion exchange process from monazite sand, a material rich in rare earth elements. Yttrium is a silvery-metallic metal that is never found in nature as a free element, it is always found combined with other elements. It’s melting point is 1,522 C and the boiling point is 3,338 C. Yttrium has some uses in everyday life, it is used in TV screens, producing the red color.

Lithium (Li) Lithium was discovered in 1817 by Johan Arfvedson, however it was extracted by William Thomas Brande and Sir Humphrey Davy through the electrolysis method of Lithium Oxide. Lithium is a soft silver-white metal, it is the lightest metal and the least dense solid element. It belongs to the Alkali metal group of chemical elements. It’s melting point is pretty low at 180.6 C and it’s boiling point 1,342 C. Lithium is a popular element used for medical treatments, specially mental illnesses and blood disorders.

Tungsten (W) Tungsten was discovered in in 1781 by two Spanish chemist brothers named Juan José and Fausto Elhuyar. The method of extraction was also developed by these two. The ore that contains tungsten is crushed, clean and then treated with various alkalis so that tungsten trioxide is formed. The tungsten trioxide is then heated using either carbon or hydrogen gas, which then separates the tungsten metal from the compound. Tungsten is a rare , hard metal which is naturally only found in chemical compounds. It is the element with the highest melting point which is 3,422 C, and the boiling point 5,552. Also because of its extremely high melting point, it is used in high-temperature items such as a light bulb, vacuum tube, and rocket engines.

Platinum (Pt) Platinum was discovered in 1557 by Julius Caesar Scaliger. The extraction of platinum also involves smelting, for Platinum it has to be really high-temperature smelting. This decomposes the other elements and leaves the Platinum behind. After that there has to also be electrolysis to remove nickel, copper and cobalt. Platinum is a dense, malleable, ductile, grey-white transitional metal. It is one of the rarest elements in the world and is the least reactive metal. Its melting point is quite high at 1,768 C and its boiling point is 3825 C. Platinum is used in jewelry, decoration and dental work.

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