Whether or not aluminum is a factor in Alzheimer's disease is a matter of debate. The US Department of Health and Human Services classifies aluminum as a non-carcinogen. Aluminum increases estrogen-related gene expression in breast cells of humans. Ingesting acidic foods increases aluminum absorption, while the flavor enhancer maltol increases its accumulation in bones and nerves. However, in high doses aluminum exposure alters the function of the blood-brain barrier. The presence of aluminum salts is generally tolerated by animals and plants. Although aluminum is present in over 270 minerals and is widely abundant, the element does not appear to serve a biological role in either animals or plants.It's worth noting that despite the naming controversy he caused, Davy neither discovered the element nor isolated it! In the 1990's, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry formally determined element 13 should be aluminium, yet the -um spelling persists in the U.S. Chemists in the United States actually used the -ium ending, shifting toward the -um ending in the 1900s. The -um spelling persisted in Britain for a while, eventually changing to aluminium. Davy changed the name to aluminum and then finally to aluminium in 1812. Davy initially called the element alumium in 1807, from the mineral alumina. We can blame the English chemist, Sir Humphy Davy, for the confusion. The name for element 13 has been either aluminum or aluminium.In fact, you can even recycle the element at home, if you like. Only 5% of the energy needed to purify aluminum from alumina is required to recycle aluminum from scrap.In 1884, the cap of the Washington Monument was made using aluminum because the metal was so highly valued at that time.Napoleon III served dinners to his most important guests on aluminum platters, leaving lesser guests to dine using gold! It was so difficult to obtain element 13 that is was considered a precious metal. The modern process requires considerable energy, yet it's much easier than past refining methods. Aluminum ore (bauxite) is mined, chemically refined into alumina (aluminum oxide) using the Bayer process, and finally refined into aluminum metal using the electrolytic Hall-Heroult process.Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the Earth's crust (about 8%) and the most abundant metal.Aluminum is strong, yet light compared with most other metals. Unlike many other metals, aluminum is not very ductile, which means it isn't readily drawn into wires. Most people are familiar with the pure element's appearance from aluminum foil or cans. Pure aluminum is a soft, nonmagnetic silvery-white metal.Aluminium is a shiny solid at standard temperature and pressure and has a high melting point. Aluminium is a metal element so it is a good thermal conductor and a good electrical conductor. Properties Aluminium forms ionic bonds with non-metals. Aluminium loses electrons to form positive metal ions. Aluminium is in Period 3 of the Periodic Table because it has 3 electron shells. Atomic Structure The most stable isotope of Aluminium has 14 neutrons in its nucleus giving it an atomic mass of 27. Aluminium atoms join together in a giant metallic structure. MeaningĪluminium is a Group 3 metal element, on the Periodic Table, with 13 protons in the nucleus.Ībout Aluminium Molecular Structure Aluminium has the chemical formula Al. A 2 dimensional representation of the Bohr Model of a Aluminium-27 isotope with 13 protons and 14 neutrons in the nucleus and 2 electrons in the first shell, 8 in the second and 3 in the outer shell.
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