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Columbia Encyclopedia entry: zinc

Zinc, metallic chemical element; symbol Zn; at. no. 30; at. wt. 65.38; m.p. 419.58°C; b.p. 907°C; sp. gr. 7.133 at 25°C; valence +2. Zinc is a lustrous bluish-white metal. It is found in Group 12 of the periodic table. It is brittle and crystalline at ordinary temperatures, but when heated to between 110°C and 150°C it becomes ductile and malleable; it can then be rolled into sheets. It is a fairly reactive metal. Although it is not abundant in nature, it is of great commercial importance. It is used principally for galvanizing iron, but is also important in the preparation of certain alloys, e.g., Babbitt metal, brass, German silver, and sometimes bronze. It is used for the negative plates in certain electric batteries and for roofing and gutters in building construction. Since the metal reacts with dilute mineral acid to liberate hydrogen, it is often used for this purpose in the laboratory. Zinc compounds are numerous and are widely used. Perhaps most important is zinc oxide, or zinc white, a versatile compound with many uses. Other zinc compounds include zinc chloride, used as a wood preservative, in soldering fluxes, as a mordant in dyeing textiles, and in adhesives and cements; and zinc sulfide, used in making lithopone as well as television screens and X-ray apparatus. The chromate, zinc yellow, serves as a pigment; sodium zincate, as a water softener and as a flocculating agent in water purification. The crystalline sulfate is known commonly as white vitriol. Zinc is essential to the growth of many kinds of organisms, both plant and animal. It is a constituent of insulin, which is used in the treatment of diabetes. Chief sources of zinc are the sulfide ore, zinc blende, or sphalerite (called also blende or black Jack); zincite, an oxide; calamine, a silicate; and smithsonite, the zinc carbonate. Zinc ores are widely and abundantly distributed throughout the world. The United States is the leading producer. The metallurgy of zinc depends upon the ore used. The sulfide ore is roasted to the oxide, then mixed with coal and heated to 1,200°C. The zinc vaporizes and is condensed outside the reaction chamber and cast into blocks called spelter. In another method the ore is processed by flotation, filtering, roasting, and leaching; the resulting solution is filtered and the zinc removed by electrolysis.

Wikipedia search results for: Zinc

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zinc, also known as spelter, is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2. Zinc is the 24th most abundant element in the Earth's crust and has five stable isotopes. The most exploited zinc ore is sphalerite, a zinc sulfide. The largest exploitable deposits are found in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Zinc production includes froth flotation of the ore, roasting, and final extraction using electricity. Brass,...more »

Columbia Encyclopedia search results: zinc

Results 1 - 10 of 276

zinc oxide
Zinc oxide, chemical compound, ZnO, that is nearly insoluble in water but soluble in acids or alkalies. It occurs as white hexagonal crystals or a white powder commonly known as zinc white. Zi...
zinc sulfate
Zinc sulfate, chemical compound ZnSO4, a very water soluble, transparent, colorless, crystalline compound. It is commonly used as the heptahydrate, ZnSO4·7H2O, and is commonly called white vit...
Periodic Table of the Elements: Zinc
Periodic Table of the Elements: ZincAtomic Number:30Atomic Symbol:ZnZincAtomic Weight:65.38ElectronConfiguration:2 · 8 · 18 · 2
Zn
Zn, symbol for the element zinc.
bronze, in metallurgy
Bronze, in metallurgy, alloy of copper, tin, zinc, phosphorus, and sometimes small amounts of other elements. Bronzes are harder than brasses. Most are produced by melting the copper and addin...
galvanizing
Galvanizing, process of coating a metal, usually iron or steel, with a protective covering of zinc. Galvanized iron is prepared either by dipping iron, from which rust has been removed by the ...
brass
Brass, alloy having copper (55%–90%) and zinc (10%–45%) as its essential components. The properties of brass vary with the proportion of copper and zinc and with the addition of small amounts ...
Buttle Lake
Buttle Lake, 11 sq mi (28 sq km), central Vancouver Island, SW British Columbia, Canada. It is the site of major zinc and copper deposits.
Kostyantynivka
Kostyantynivka, Rus. Konstantinovka, city (1989 pop. 108,000), in the Donets Basin of Ukraine. It is an iron, zinc, steel, and glass making center.
Tsumeb
Tsumeb, town (1991 pop. 16,211), N Namibia. It is the commercial and distribution center for a region where copper, lead, and zinc are mined.

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