Discovered: known in India and China before 1500 and to the Greeks and Romans before 20 BC as the copper-zinc alloy brass
Origin: The name is derived from the German ‘Zink’.
Atomic no: 30
Mass No: 65
Description: A grey metal with a blue tinge. World production exceeds 7 million tons a year, and it is used to galvanise iron to prevent it rusting. It is also employed in alloys and batteries, and as zinc oxide to stabilise rubber and plastics. Zinc is essential for all living things, and is important for growth and development. The average human body contains about 2.5 grams and takes in about 15 milligrams per day. Some foods have above average levels of zinc, including herring, beef, lamb, sunflower seeds and cheese.
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Half-Life
The time required for half of a reactant to be converted into product(s). The time required for half of a given sample to undergo radioactive decay.
yield
The quantity of product formed by the interaction of two or more substances, generally expressed as a percentage of the quantity obtained to that theoretically obtainable.
Greenhouse Effect
Trapping of heat at the surface of the earth by carbon dioxide and water vapour in the atmosphere.
Functional Group
A group of atoms that represents a potential reaction site in an organic compound.
Molecular Geometry
The arrangement of atoms (not lone pairs of electrons) around a central atom of a molecule or polyatomic ion.
Ideal Gas Law
The product of pressure and the volume of an ideal gas is directly proportional to the number of moles of the gas and the absolute temperature.
Oxidation-reduction Reactions
Reactions in which oxidation and reduction occur, also called redox reactions.
Ionization Energy
The minimum amount of energy required to remove the most loosely held electron of an isolated gaseous atom or ion.
Secondary Voltaic Cells
Voltaic cells that can be recharged, original reactanats can be regenerated be reversing the direction of the current flow.
Contact Process
Industrial process by which sulfur trioxide and sulfuric acid are produced from sulfur dioxide.
