What Is Aluminum?

Aluminum is a substance that is used in so many different things in our everyday world. Its become such a staple in many consumer goods that it is likely one of the most used metals in the world. It is definitely one of the most abundant elements in the earths crust. It actually makes up 8% of the earths solid surface. According to the IRP (International Resource Panel) there is approximately 80kg of aluminum is in use for every person there is on this earth. Aluminum is a silver substance that is a type of boron element. Under normal conditions, the metal is not very water soluble. It is used so much in our consumer and business goods because of the metals extremely low density and corrosion resistance. A very thin surface oxidation occurs when the metal is exposed to air. This stops further oxidation and corrosion from happening. This is called passivation, where a mineral is not affected by environmental factors. However, aluminum salts, despite their abundance, are not used by any life on earth. They are well tolerated by plants, though, and are potentially beneficial. There is much interest in this in scientific communities. This amazing metal is soft, durable and very lightweight. It is also quite malleable, allowing for an extended range of use. It has about only a third of the stiffness and density of steel and is not a magnetic substance. It also cannot be ignited. Aluminum is also a great reflective surface, reflecting approximately 92% of visible light and 98% of infrared radiation. When ground into a powder, the silver colour of the metal remains. It is one of the few metals that does this. The metal is created when hydrogen fuses with magnesium. This usually occurs in astronomical events like supernovae. Aluminum conducts electricity and heat very well. It can even be used as a superconductor in electronic systems. Moreover, aluminum is technically completely recyclable without any loss of quality. It is actually the aluminum industry that was instrumental in the mainstream adoption of recycling. This was related to the increased use in aluminum beverage cans during the 1950s. This amazing natural metal is the most used metal in the world that is non-ferrous, or a metal that does not contain significant portions of iron. 2012 aluminum production is projected to be between 42 and 45 million tons. Rising output in china is driving much of the growth of its use. Aluminum has been used in transportation vehicles, packaging, construction, household items, street poles, electronics and the list continues to go on and on. Aluminum castings are used in many different applications.

When being used, aluminum is usually alloyed as a pure metal. Its use dates to the times of the ancient Romans and Greeks, when it was used as a dyeing agent. It wasnt until 1825, however, that is was first produced in an impure form. Since then it has been used in countless items and has a ton of applications. Next to iron, it can be considered one of the most important natural resources we have on this earth. To learn more about aluminum visit Wikipedia.