What is Aluminum?
Aluminum is an element that has a symbol of Al. The atomic number of aluminum is 13. The density of this element is lower than those of other common metals. One can assume the density of this element to be one-third that of steel.
Aluminum has a great affinity towards other elements like oxygen. It also forms a protective layer of oxide on the surface when it is exposed to air. It should be noted that aluminum is similar to silver in its resemblance, which means that it is similar in color and has a great ability to reflect light.
Aluminum Formula
It is non-magnetic, ductile, and soft. There is one stable isotope of this element, which is 27Al. The isotope is very common. And according to experts, aluminum is the twelfth most common element in the Universe. The radioactivity of 26Al is also used in the form of radiodating.
It should be noted that aluminum is a weak metal in the boron group when it comes to the chemical formula of this element. Aluminum also forms compounds that are mainly in the oxidation state of +3. The cation of aluminum, which is Al3+, is highly charged and small. It is also polarizing and the bonds that aluminum forms are towards covalency.
Aluminum also forms a common association with oxygen in nature. This is in the form of oxides. Because of this reason, aluminum is found primarily on the rocks present on the crust on Earth. This element is the third most abundant element on Earth’s crust. It comes after silicon and oxygen. This element hardly ever occurs as a free metal. Students might be interested to note that the potash alum formula is KAI(SO4)2.12H2O. There is also an aluminum hydroxide formula, which is called Al(OH)3. Aluminum hydroxide is an inorganic salt used as an antacid. And the aluminum nitrate formula is Al(NO3)3. Aluminum nitrate is a white, water-soluble salt of aluminium and nitric acid.
Electronic Configuration of Aluminum
Students should remember that the electronic configuration of aluminum is 13Al = [Ne] 3s2 3p1. There are other properties of aluminum that students should know about. For example, the chemical formula for aluminum is Al. The molecular weight of aluminum is 26.982 g / mol. The position of this element is in group 12, period -3, and p - block.
The density of aluminum is 2.70 g / cm3. The boiling point of Al is 2743 K. And there are three shells in this element. Electrons present per shell are 2, 8, and 3. The aluminum chloride formula is AlCl3. Students should also learn the structure of aluminium chloride formula. The aluminum sulphate formula is Al2(SO4)3. It is a good idea for students to learn the structure of aluminium sulphate formula.
Structural Formula for Aluminium Chloride:
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Structural Formula for Aluminium Sulphate:
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The structural formula of aluminum is given below. The elements are arranged in the form of a face-centered cubic structure. Further, there is a specific uniqueness of this compound.
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FAQs on Aluminum Formula
Question 1. Briefly talk about the History of Aluminum.
Answer: The usage of alum has influenced the history of aluminum for a long time. The first-ever record of using alum was made by the Greeks in the 5th century BCE. It was also imported to Europe from the eastern Mediterranean until the mid-15th century. However, the nature of alum wasn’t exactly known at that time. It was around 1530 when Paracelsus, who was a Swiss physician, suggested that alum was a salt of an earth of alum. This was confirmed in 1595 by Andreas Libavius, who was a German doctor and chemist. This metal was produced chemically by a man around 1760.
Question 2. What is the meaning of the term ‘Aluminum?’
Answer: The word aluminum is derived from the word ‘alumine.’ It is an obsolete term for alumina and is referred to as a form of naturally occurring oxide of aluminum. The aluminum oxide formula is Al2O3. The word alumine was borrowed from the French language, which was further derived from the word alumen that means alum in Latin.
Question 3. Is Aluminum Toxic?
Answer: Usually for most people, aluminum is not considered to be as toxic as heavy metals. It is classified as a non-carcinogen by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. There is also limited evidence as to what normal exposure to aluminum is for healthy adults. Further, most aluminum that is consumed will leave the body in the form of feces, some small parts would enter the bloodstream and exist through urine.