ChemistryElements

Uses Of Zirconium And Atomic Properties With Characteristics

We elaborate the uses of Zirconium and atomic properties with characteristics. Zirconium is a grayish-white chemical element with atomic number 40. Its symbol is Zr and belongs to the group of transition metals and its usual state in nature is solid. Zirconium is located at position 40 on the periodic table.

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On this page you will discover the chemical properties of zirconium and information about zirconium and other elements on the periodic table such as titanium, hafnium, yttrium or niobium. You will also learn what zirconium is for and you will know what its uses are through its properties associated with zirconium such as its atomic number or the usual state in which zirconium can be found.

You will see qualities of zirconium such as its melting and boiling point, its magnetic properties or what its chemical symbol is. In addition, here you will find information about its atomic properties such as the distribution of electrons in zirconium atoms and other properties.

For some elements some of this information is unknown. In these cases we show the properties attributed to them.

Zirconium properties

Transition metals, also called transition elements is the group to which zirconium belongs. In this group of chemical elements to which zirconium belongs, there are those located in the central part of the periodic table, specifically in block d. Among the characteristics that zirconium has, as well as those of the rest of the transition metals, is that of including in its electronic configuration the d orbital, partially full of electrons. Properties of this type of metal, among which zirconium is found, are its high hardness, having high boiling and melting points and being good conductors of electricity and heat.

The state of zirconium in its natural form is solid. Zirconium is a grayish-white chemical element and belongs to the group of transition metals. The atomic number of zirconium is 40. The chemical symbol for zirconium is Zr. The melting point of zirconium is 2128 degrees Kelvin or 1855.85 degrees Celsius or degrees Celsius. The boiling point of zirconium is 4682 degrees Kelvin or 4409.85 degrees Celsius or degrees Celsius.

Uses of zirconium

If you have ever wondered what zirconium is for , here is a list of its possible uses:

  • This metal is used in the nuclear industry to coat fuel elements as it has a low neutron absorption cross section. Zirconium is highly resistant to corrosion by acids and alkalis in water , therefore it is widely used in the chemical industry, where corrosive agents are used.
  • The metal is used in alloys with steel for surgical applications. This metal is superconducting at low temperatures, and zircon and niobium alloys are used to make superconducting magnets. Zirconium zinc alloys become magnetic at temperatures below -238 degrees Celsius. Zirconium is also used in vacuum tubes, photography flash lamps, in explosive primers, and in lamp filaments.
  • Zirconium oxide (zircon) has a high refractive index. Oxide is also used to create thermal shock resistant laboratory crucibles, for lining metallurgical furnaces and by the glass and ceramic industries as a refractory material.
  • The use of zirconium oxides in technical ceramics is well established, especially for their heat and electricity resistance properties. Zirconium is used in capacitors, microwave systems, and piezoelectric telecommunications applications where high reactivity and particle size are carefully controlled to maximize zirconate formation. Other applications include creating gemstones, ceramics, cast metal filters, and fiber optic connectors.

Zirconium Atomic Properties

The atomic mass of an element is determined by the total mass of neutrons and protons that can be found in a single atom belonging to this element. As for the position where to find the zirconium within the periodic table of the elements, the zirconium is in group 4 and period 5. The zirconium has an atomic mass of 91,224 u.

The electronic configuration for zirconium is [Kr] 4d25s2. The electronic configuration of the elements, determines the form in which the electrons are structured in the atoms of an element. The mean radius of zirconium is 155 pm, its atomic radius or Bohr radius is 206 pm, and its covalent radius is 148 pm. Zirconium has a total of 40 electrons whose distribution is as follows: In the first layer it has 2 electrons, in the second it has 8 electrons, in its third layer it has 18 electrons, in the fourth it has 10 electrons and in the fifth layer it has 2 electrons.

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Zirconium characteristics

Below you can see a table showing the main characteristics of zirconium.

Zirconium
Chemical symbol Zr
Atomic number 40
Group 4
Period 5
Appearance grayish white
Block d
Density 6511 kg / m3
Atomic mass 91,224 u
Average radius 155 pm
Atomic radio 206
Covalent radius 148 pm
Electronic configuration [Kr] 4d25s2
Electrons per layer 2, 8, 18, 10, 2
Oxidation states 4
Oxide amphoteric
Crystal structure hexagonal
State solid
Melting point 2128 K
Boiling point 4682 K
Heat of fusion 16.9 kJ / mol
Vapor pressure 0.00168 Pa to 2125 K
Electronegativity 1.33
Specific heat 0.27 J / (K ยท kg)
Electric conductivity 2.36106S / m
Thermal conductivity 22.7 W / (Km)

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