Aluminum (Al)
Stable Isotopes of Aluminum
| Isotope | Z(p) | N(n) | Atomic Mass | Natural Abundance | Nuclear Spin |
| Al-27 | 13 | 14 | 26.9815384 | 100.00% | 5/2+ |
Hans Christian Oersted first isolated aluminum (also known as "aluminium") in Denmark in 1825. Its name originates with the Latin word alumen, meaning "alum." Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the earth's crust, accounting for 8.13% by weight. It is is a silvery-white malleable metal with a cubic crystal structure; it is insoluble in water and soluble in acids and alkalis.
Ancient Greeks and Romans used alum in medicine (as an astringent) and in the dyeing process. Today, aluminum alloys have numerous applications. They are used extensively in electrical transmission lines, coated mirrors, utensils, packages, toys, and in the construction of aircrafts and rockets.
On the other hand, finely divided aluminum dust is moderately flammable and explodes by heat or contact with strong oxidizing chemicals. Chronic inhalation of the powder can cause aluminosis, a type of pulmonary fibrosis. It is almost nontoxic by ingestion.
Properties of Aluminum
| Name | Aluminum |
| Symbol | Al |
| Atomic number | 13 |
| Atomic weight | 26.98154 |
| Standard state | Solid at 298 °K |
| CAS Registry ID | 7429-90-5 |
| Group in periodic table | 13 |
| Group name | None |
| Period in periodic table | 3 |
| Block in periodic table | p-block |
| Color | Silvery |
| Classification | Metallic |
| Melting point | 660.37 °C |
| Boiling point | 2467 °C |
| Thermal conductivity | 235 W/(m·K) |
| Electrical resistivity | 2.6548 μΩ·cm at 0 °C |
| Electronegativity | 1.50 |
| Specific heat | 940 J/(kg·K) |
| Heat of vaporization | 294 kJ·mol-1 |
| Heat of fusion | 10.7 kJ·mol-1 |
| Density of solid | 2.70 g/cm3 |
| Electron configuration | [Ne]3s23p1 |
| Oxidation state | +3 |
Research
- Isotopic evidence for primordial molecular cloud material in metal-rich carbonaceous chondrites
- A persistent and dynamic East Greenland Ice Sheet over the past 7.5 million years
- Triggered Star Formation Inside the Shell of a Wolf-Rayet Bubble as the origin of the Solar System
- A persistent and dynamic East Greenland Ice Sheet over the past 7.5 million years
- Astronomical detection of radioactive molecule 26AlF in the remnant of an ancient explosion