This section contains 1,370 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
Symbol
Cd
Atomic Number
48
Atomic Mass
112.41
Family
Group 12 (Iib) Transition Metal Pronunciation
CAD-mee-um
Overview
Cadmium is a transition metal. The transition metals are the elements found in Rows 4 through 7 between Groups 2 and 13 in the periodic table, a chart that shows how elements are related. Cadmium was discovered by German chemist Friedrich Stromeyer (1776-1835) in 1817. It is found most commonly in ores of zinc.
Cadmium is a soft metal that is easily cut with a knife. It resembles zinc in many of its physical and chemical properties. However, it is much less abundant in the Earth's crust than zinc.
By far the most important use of cadmium in the United States is in the production of nicad (nickel-cadmium), or rechargeable, batteries. It is also used in pigments, coatings and plating, manufacture of plastic products, and alloys. An alloy is made by melting and mixing two or more metals. The...
This section contains 1,370 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |