Scandium
From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
| Scandium | |||||||||||||||||||
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| General Info | |||||||||||||||||||
| Atomic Symbol | Sc | ||||||||||||||||||
| Atomic Number | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Atomic Weight | 44.9 g/mol44.9 amu | ||||||||||||||||||
| Chemical series | [[Transition Metals]] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Appearance | 
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| Group, Period, Block | 3, 4, d | ||||||||||||||||||
| Electron configuration | [Ar], 3d1, 4s2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Electrons per shell | 
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| CAS number | 7440-20-2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Physical properties | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Density | g/mlwarning.png" g/ml" is not a number. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Melting point | warning.png"" is not a number. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Boiling point | warning.png"" is not a number. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Isotopes of Scandium | |||||||||||||||||||
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| All properties are for STP unless otherwise stated. | |||||||||||||||||||
The element scandium is ussually a white metal until it comes into contact with oxygen in the air, and it then changes into a pinkish or yellowish color. Scandium is extremely plentiful on the sun in our galaxy and is also found in different types of rocks and minerals on the earth. Even so, it is still very difficult to find. Some examples of minerals that scandium is found in minerals beryl and thortveitite, and the main and primary use of scandium is the function of alluminum-scandium alloys. The chemist and scientist Lars Frederick was the person who found this element and he had formed a reaserch team in 1879 who had also helped him find scandium. The metallic form of scanduim was not produced until 1937 by three scientist named Brunger, Fischer, adn Grienelaus.
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Properties
Scandium is naturally a silverish-whitish metal when not exposed to air. However, when air reaches it, it develops a yellowish or even pinkish hue. This metal is most like the solid aluminum. Since aluminum is used in space craft, scandium is now being considered as a good possibility for a material for space ships. [1]
Occurrences
It has been discovered that scandium is significantly more plentiful in the sun and other stars rather than on earth. However, on earth, scandium can still be found, in very small quantities, in over 800 different mineral varieties. In the mineral beryl, the blue color is said to be caused by scandium. Scandium has also been discovered to be a main component in the rare mineral thortveitite, which can be found in Malagasy and Scandinavia. As of currently, scandium is mostly being extracted from thortveitite or is recovered as a by-product of uranium mill tailings. "Pure scandium is now produced by reducing scandium fluoride with calcium metal." [2]
Uses
Because scandium is actually a fairly rare metal, it does not have many uses. Scandium is a light and yet strong metal. It has been used in lacrosse sticks, golf clubs, and sometimes even in hand guns. However, its primary function is in aluminum-scandium alloys. This can take a number of different forms, such as baseball bats, bikes, firearms, and small aerospace industries and businesses. [3]The United States is now using about 20kg of scandium (as Sc203)every year to create high intensity lights. 46sc is being accepted as an agent for tracing in refinery crackers such as crude oil etc... [4]
History
Lars Fredrick Nilson, a scientist and chemist, formed a research team in the spring of 1879. They were primarily looking for rare earthen metals. They used a testing procedure called spectral analysis, and found a new element inside the minerals gadolinite and euxenite. They derived the name scandium from the Latin word scandia, referring to Scandanavia. While they isolated scandium, the team happened to process about 10 kilograms of euxenite, which in turn created about 2 grams of extremely pure scandium oxide. However, the metallic form of scandium was not produced until 1937 by 3 scientists named Brunger, Fischer, and Grienelaus. They used the electrolysis of a eutectic (the melting point of two or more liquids) melt of lithium, potassium, and scandium chlorides. These men agreed to melt them at 700 to 800 degrees C. Although, it was not until 1960 that a full pound of 99% pure scandium was created. [5]
References
- Scandium Wikipedia
- Scandium Corrosion Source
- Chemical, Physical, Electrical, Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Scandium (Sc) by Scandium Information Center
