What is Lead?
Lead is a bluish white metal that is soft and moldable. It is mainly extracted from galena, and it exists in raw form, which contains zinc, silver and copper. The chemical properties of lead allow this it to be widely used in energy industry. Lead production dates back at least 8,000 years. Lead was used in Egypt around 5000 BC.
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Chemical Properties of Lead
- Element Symbol: Pb
- Atomic number: 82
- Atomic mass: 207.2
- Melting point: 327.5° C
- Boiling point: 1740.0° C
- Number of protons / electrons: 82
- Number of neutrons: 125
- Crystal structure: Cubic
- Density: 11.36 g / cc
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Facts About Lead
- Very resistant to corrosion, but it deforms when exposed to air.
- Bad conductor of heat and electricity.
- Soft relatively.
- Can expand without breaking.
- Dissolves slowly in water.
- Reacts quickly with hot acids, but slowly with cold acids.
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Common Uses of Lead
Lead is used in manufacturing lead-acid batteries for cars.
Lead is used in the manufacture of dyes.
Lead is used in the manufacture of weapon ammunition.
Protect underground or underwater power cables.