INTRODUCTION
Bismuth is a rare metallic element that was known in ancient times, but until the middle of the 18th century, it was confused with lead, tin, and zinc. It is about as rare as silver and one of the most strongly diamagnetic of all substances.
Bismuth expands on solidifying, It is a poor conductor of heat and electricity, and its electrical resistance is further increased in a magnetic field; because of this property, it is used in instruments for measuring the strength of such fields.
BASIC INFORMATIONS
- Atomic Number
- 83
- Atomic Mass
- 208.9804
- Atomic radius
- 0.152
- Ionization energy
- 703
- Electronic config
- 2,8,18,32,18,5
- Principal Valency
- +3 or +5
- Density g/cm³
- 9.81
- Melting point °C
- 271.5
- Boiling point °C
- 1564
- Type of Element
- Metal
- Electronegativity
- 1.9
- Element Category
- Nitrogen Family
- Appearance
- Pinkish tinge solid
- Block
- p-block
- Period
- 6
- Group
- 15
- No of Isotopes
- 35
- Occurrence
- Combine form
- Abundance in ppm
- 0.008
- Year of Discovery
- N/A
EXTRACTION
It is obtained industrally as a by-product
OXIDATION STATES
+5,+4,+3,+2,+1 (Mildly acidic)
MAJOR SOURCE
Bismite, Bismuthinite
EXAMPLES OF COMPOUND PRESENT
Bismuth nitrate, Bismuth nitrate pentahydrate
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
* Due to its varaition with magnetic field, it is used in instruments for measuring the strength of such fields.
* Bismuth metal is mainly use as alloys with low melting points (Low melting plug for automatic fire sprinkler systems.)
* Large quantities of bismuth are used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals.
* Bismuth is opaque to X rays and can be used in fluoroscopy.
