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Science KB- Element Project: Lithium
2
Lithium
By Kathleen Ban
Lithium
Atomic Number: 3
Symbol: Li
Atomic Mass: 6.941 u
Basic Information
Who discovered it and how?
History
Johan August Arfwedson discovered it as a solid metal in the mineral petalite in 1817. William Thomas Brandy and Humphrey Davy separated lithium from other elements through the oxide’s electrolysis.
Isotopes
- eight isotopes known: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12
- two are stable
Isotopes
Common Isotopes
- Lithium-6 and Lithium-7
Common
The Difference?
- they have different neutrons causing a difference in their mass
Difference
How is lithium produced or extracted?
More Info.
As stated before, it is produced through electrolysis. It is made from a mixture of combined lithium chloride (55%) and potassium chloride (45%) at about 450 °C. In South America, lithium-containing brine is extracted from underground pools and concentrated by solar evaporation.
What is lithium used for?
Common Uses
In most cases, it is used in the manufacture of aircraft and batteries. Sometimes it can help in the medical field of health, which I will explain later on.
Stuff That Do Not Fit
Facts
These are the most random, out-of-order facts that you will see, probably.
- lithium is so light that it can float
- lithium fires (bright red color) are difficult to put out because you cannot use water (it will react)
- one of the three elements produced in large quantities by the Big Bang along with hydrogen and helium
- can be alloyed with other metals to make strong lightweight metals
Characteristics of Lithium
Properties
- an element that is a solid at room temperature
- a soft, silvery-white colored alkali metal
- highly reactive and flammable, but when mixed with water, it forms a colorless solution
- can hold more heat than any other solid element
- boiling point: 2448 degrees Fahrenheit (1342 degrees Celsius)
Chemical Compounds
Common Molecules
1
"lithium is in a class of medications called antimanic agents, which work by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain"
chloride
colorless crystalline solid that becomes a red flame when heated
2
dissolves in water to make lithium hydroxide, a strong chemical compound with a supported foundation used to purify air and remove carbon dioxide in submarines and spaceships
oxide
3
dissolved hydroxide is a cause of a basic solution which leads to a slower exothermic reaction, meaning that the process releases energy with light or heat
hydroxide
4
Compounds
nitrate
an oxidizing agent
5
nitride
a strong base
6
peroxide
reacts with water to make oxygen
7
carbonate
used in medicine to treat and prevent bipolar disorder (depression)
Backtracking a Little Bit
Remember when I said that Li6 and Li7 are the two stable isotopes? Well, one is more common than the other as you can see here. Lithium-6 has a natural abundance of 7.59% and Lithium-7 has an abundance of 92.41% on Earth.