Germanium
Germanium (jer-MAY-ni-em) is a brittle, silvery-white semi-metal (metalloid).[1]
| Germanium | |
|---|---|
| Properties | |
| Atomic symbol | Ge |
| Atomic number | 32 |
| Classification | Metalloid |
| Atomic mass | 72.6 |
| Other Information | |
| Date of discovery | 1886 |
| Name of discoverer | Clemens Winkler |
| Name origin | From the Latin word Germania, meaning Germany |
| Uses | Semiconductors |
| Obtained from | Refining of copper, zinc, lead |
History
Germanium was first proposed to exist by Dmitri Mendeleyev in 1871. He had recently created a Periodic Table of Elements, and identified gaps which where unknown elements. Germanium was officially discovered in 1886 by Clemens Winkler, a German chemist. He found it in the mineral argyrodite (Ag8GeS6).
Properties
Melting Point: 1720.85°F (938.25°C or 1211.40 K)
Boiling Point: 5131°F (2833°C or 3106 K)
Density: 5.323 grams per cubic centimeter
State of Matter at Room Temperature: Solid
Uses
Germanium is primarily used as a semiconductor. With arsenic, gallium, indium, antimony or phosphorus, it is used to make transistors. Another major use for Germanium is lenses. It is used in the manufacture of wide-angle camera lenses and objective lenses for microscopes. [2] It is also used to create alloys and as a phosphor in fluorescent lamps. [3] Additionally, adding 1% germanium to silver prevents tarnishing.[4]
References
External Resources
http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/32/germanium http://chemistry.about.com/od/elementfacts/a/germanium.htm