Bismuth
BIZ-meth
Bismuth (Bi) is a hard steel-gray metal that has the atomic number 83 in the periodic table in Group 15. It has the symbol Bi.
Bismuth had been identified in the fifteenth century but it was not until the work of Claude Geoffroy the Younger who identified Bismuth as its own element and different from lead. Bismuth while a stable metal does exhibit some radioactive properties over time. It is a brittle crystalline metal and can repel magnetic fields. It also has a high conductivity of electricity. Bismuth is used in medicine and cosmetics. It is a solid metal at room temperature with a melting point of 271°c and a boiling point of 1564°c.
FAQ's
Known to the ancients.
1753
Uses
Main use is in pharmaceuticals and low melting point alloys used as fuses.
Sources
It can be found free in nature and in minerals like bismuthine (Bi2O3) and in bismuth ochre (Bi2O3)
About the author
Nathan M
Nathan has a degree in BSc Biomedical Chemistry at Warwick University and a degree in PGCE Science at Wolverhampton University, UK. Nathan's subject matter ranges from general chemistry and organic chemistry. Nathan also created the curriculum on Breaking Atom in the course page.
Citation
Bi
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