Chromium
Chromium | |
---|---|
Properties | |
Atomic symbol | Cr |
Atomic number | 24 |
Classification | Transition metal |
Atomic mass | 52.0 amu |
Other Information | |
Date of discovery | 1797 |
Name of discoverer | Louis Vauquelin |
Name origin | From the Greek word chrôma (color) |
Uses | Stainless steel |
Obtained from | Chromite |
Chromium (Cr) is a chemical element found at number 24 on the periodic table. It is a hard, lustrous gray transition metal used in plating processes and the production of stainless steel.
Chromium is generally found in nature in the mineral chromite (FeO - Cr2O3), but can also be found in crocoite (PbCrO4). It is also an essential mineral for life; a deficiency will lead to a reduction in glucose tolerance, as several chromium (III) compounds have been found to enhance the effectiveness of insulin. However, some chromates are hazardous to one's health when ingested/inhaled.
Contents
Uses
Commercial
Chromium is used in a number of products, including cassette tapes, metal polish (green rouge), colored pigments and dyes, jet engines, and gas turbines. Silverware is sometimes also coated with chromium, since it is resistant to corrosion Perhaps most importantly, stainless steel is at least ten percent chromium. Stainless steel is used in many different products, including cutlery, stoves, gutters, roofing, cars, and much more.
Medical
Along with vanadium, chromium is one of the minerals which is believed to help control blood sugar. It is sometimes used for diabetes in place of animal insulin injections.[1] However, there has been no official study to discover how much vanadium is required by the human body, so many conventional doctors avoid suggesting this supplementation.[2] Chromium picolinate or chromium oxide are usually used for supplementation—the former being considered more effective.
References
- ↑ http://www.whale.to/a/diabetes_shame.html
- ↑ http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vanadium
Periodic Table of the Elements | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | |||||||
24
Cr 51.996 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
*Lanthanides | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
**Actinides | ||||||||||||||||||||||||