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lithium
Columbia Encyclopedia entry: lithium
Lithiumlĭth'ēəm [Gr.,=stone], metallic chemical element; symbol Li; at. no. 3; at. wt. 6.941; m.p. about 180.54°C; b.p. about 1,342°C; sp. gr. .534 at 20°C; valence +1. Lithium is a soft, silver-white metal. It is one of the alkali metals in Group 1 of the periodic table. It is the least dense metal. Because it has high specific heat, it has found some use in cooling systems for nuclear reactors; such use is limited because lithium is very corrosive. Lithium metal is prepared by electrolysis of fused lithium chloride. Lithium reacts with water less readily than sodium. It burns in air with a brilliant white flame. Lithium forms many inorganic compounds, among them a hydride (LiH), a nitride (Li3N), an oxide (lithia, Li2O), a hydroxide (LiOH), a carbide (Li2C2), a carbonate (Li2CO3), and a phosphate (Li3PO4). When heated it reacts directly with the halogens to form halides. Lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4) is an important reagent in organic chemistry. Lithium also forms numerous organic compounds. One compound of major importance is lithium stearate, produced by cooking tallow (or other animal fat) with lithium hydroxide; lithium stearate is used to transform oil into lithium-base lubricating greases, which have found extensive use in the automotive industry. Lithium carbonate is used in special glasses and ceramic glazes. Lithium chloride and bromide are used as brazing and welding fluxes; they are also used in air conditioning systems because they are very hygroscopic, i.e., they absorb moisture. Lithium hydroxide is used to increase the capacity of alkaline storage cells. Lithium compounds are used in the nuclear energy industry, in the preparation of plastics and synthetic rubber, and in the synthesis of vitamin A. Lithium is added in small amounts to magnesium, aluminum, or lead-base alloys; it is also used as a degasifier in iron, steel, and copper refining. In addition, lithium is used to scavenge small amounts of oxygen and nitrogen in electronic vacuum tubes. Trace amounts of lithium and its compounds color a flame bright red; they are used in pyrotechnics. Lithium in the salt form has recently come into use as a medical treatment for bipolar disorder. Lithium is widely distributed in nature; it is found in the soil, in plants, in animals, and in the human body. It is also found in the sun. Lithium may be profitably extracted from ores containing as little as 1% lithium (measured as lithium oxide). Some commercially important minerals are lepidolite, petalite, spodumene, and amblygonite. Lithium is also produced from brines such as those in Searles Lake, Calif., and in the Great Salt Lake, Utah. Lithium was discovered in 1817 by J. A. Arfvedson.

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Wikipedia search results for: Lithium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lithium is a soft, silver-white metal that belongs to the alkali metal group of chemical elements. It is represented by the symbol Li, and it has the atomic number three. Under standard conditions it is the lightest metal and the least dense solid element. Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly reactive, corroding quickly in moist air to form a black tarnish. For this reason, lithium metal is typically stored under the cover of petroleum. When cut open, lithium exhibits a metallic luster, but contact with oxygen quickly turns it back to a dull silvery gray color. Lithium in its elemental state is highly flammable. According to one cosmogenic...more »
Columbia Encyclopedia search results: lithium
Results 1 - 10  of 29
  • Periodic Table of the Elements: Lithium

    Periodic Table of the Elements: LithiumAtomic Number:3Atomic Symbol:LiLithiumAtomic Weight:6.941ElectronConfiguration:2 · 1

  • Li

    Li, symbol for the element lithium.

  • mineral water

    Mineral water, spring water containing various mineral salts, especially the carbonates, chlorides, phosphates, silicates, sulfides, and sulfates of calcium, iron, lithium, magnesium, potassiu...

  • tourmaline

    Tourmaline, complex borosilicate mineral with varying amounts of aluminum, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, potassium, and sometimes other elements, used as a gem. It occurs in prismatic crys...

  • pyroxene

    Pyroxene, name given to members of a group of widely distributed rock minerals called metasilicates in which magnesium, iron, and calcium, often with aluminum, sodium, lithium, manganese, or z...

  • mica

    Mica, general term for a large group of minerals, hydrous silicates of aluminum and potassium, often containing magnesium, ferrous iron, ferric iron, sodium, and lithium and more rarely contai...

  • flame test

    Flame test, test used in the identification of certain metals. It is based on the observation that light emitted by any element gives a unique spectrum when passed through a spectroscope. When...

  • alkali metals

    Alkali metals, metals found in Group 1 of the periodic table. Compared to other metals they are soft and have low melting points and densities. Alkali metals are powerful reducing agents and f...

  • deliquescence

    Deliquescence, conversion of a solid substance into a liquid as a result of absorption of water vapor from the air. Since impurities in a solid lower its melting point, the absorbed water caus...

  • rubidium

    Rubidium, metallic chemical element; symbol Rb; at. no. 37; at. wt. 85.4678; m.p. 38.89°C; b.p. 686°C; sp. gr. 1.53 at 20°C; valence +1. Rubidium is a very soft silver-white metal. One of the ...

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