CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

bismuth    →   bizmut

Bismuth was discovered by Claude Geoffroy (France) in 1753. The origin of the name comes from the German words Weisse Masse meaning white mass; now spelled wismut and bisemutum. It is hard, brittle, steel-grey metal with a pink tint. Stable in oxygen and water. Dissolves in concentrated nitric acid. Bismuth can be found free in nature and in minerals like bismuthine (Bi₂S₃) and in bismuth ochre (Bi₂O₃) Main use is in pharmaceuticals and low melting point alloys used as fuses.

blast furnace    →   visoka peć

Blast furnace is a furnace for smelting of iron from iron oxide ores (hematite, Fe₂O₃ or magnetite, Fe₃O₄). Coke, limestone and iron ore are poured in the top, which would normally burn only on the surface. The hot air blast to the furnace burns the coke and maintains the very high temperatures that are needed to reduce the ore to iron. The reaction between air and the fuel generates carbon monoxide. This gas reduces the iron(III) oxide in the ore to iron.

Because the furnace temperature is in the region of 1500 °C, the metal is produced in a molten state and this runs down to the base of the furnace.

The production of iron in a blast furnace is a continuous process. The furnace is heated constantly and is re-charged with raw materials from the top while it is being tapped from the bottom. Iron making in the furnace usually continues for about ten years before the furnace linings have to be renewed.

brass    →   mjed

Brasses are alloys of copper and zinc (generally 5 % to 40 %). Brass has been known to man since prehistoric times, long before zinc itself was discovered. It was produced by melting copper together with calamine, a zinc ore. Its ductility reaches a maximum with about 30 % zinc and its tensile strength with 45 % although this property varies greatly with the mechanical and heat treatment of the alloy. Typical applications included gears, plumbing ware fittings, adapters, valves and screw machine products. The French horn is a valved brass wind instrument.

Brass may contain small amounts of other alloying elements, such as aluminum, lead, tin, or nickel. Lead can be added as an alloying element resulting in a brass that can be rapidly machined and produces minimal tool wear. Additions of aluminium, iron and manganese to brass improve strength, whilst silicon additions improve wear resistance. Brass containing tin (< 2 % ) is less liable to corrosion in seawater; it is sometimes called naval brass and is used in naval construction.

metallurgy    →   metalurgija

Metallurgy is a science which studies metals and their extraction from ore.

cadmium    →   kadmij

Cadmium was discovered by Friedrich Strohmeyer (Germany) in 1817. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word cadmia meaning calamine (zinc carbonate, ZnCO₃), or from the Greek word kadmeia with the same meaning. It is soft, malleable, blue-white metal. Tarnishes in air, soluble in acids, insoluble in alkalis. Boiling cadmium gives off a weird, yellow-colored vapour that is poisonous. Cadmium can cause a variety of health problems, including kidney failure and high blood pressure. Cadmium is obtained as a by product of zinc refining. The mayor use of cadmium is in electroplating of steel to protect it from corrosion. Also used to make nickel-cadmium batteries. The ability of cadmium to adsorb neutrons has made it of great importance in the design of nuclear reactors. Its compounds are found in paint pigments and a wide variety of intense colours.

chromium    →   krom

Chromium was discovered by Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin (France) in 1797. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word chroma meaning colour. It is very hard, crystalline, steel-grey metal. The pure metal has a blue-white colour. It is hard, brittle and corrosion-resistant at normal temperatures. Hexavalent compounds toxic by skin contact. The most important chromium mineral is chromite [Fe,Mg(CrO₄)]. Produced commercially by heating its ore in the presence of silicon or aluminium. Used to make stainless steel. It gives the colour to rubies and emeralds. Iron-nickel-chromium alloys in various percentages yield an incredible variety of the most important metals in modern technology.

cobalt    →   kobalt

Cobalt was discovered by Georg Brandt (Germany) in 1735. The origin of the name comes from the German word kobald meaning goblin or evil spirit. It is hard, ductile, lustrous bluish-grey metal. Surfaces stable in air. Reacts over time with dilute acids. It has remarkable magnetic properties. Cobalt occurs in compounds with arsenic and sulfur as in cobaltine (CoAsS) and linneite (Co₃S₄). Pure cobalt is obtained as a by-product of refining nickel, copper and iron. Used in many hard alloys; for magnets, ceramics and special glasses. Radioactive cobalt-60 is used in cancer therapy.

potassium-argon dating    →   kalij-argonsko datiranje

Potassium-argon dating is a process of determining the age of mineral deposits by measuring the proportion between quantity of isotope ⁴⁰Ar and ⁴⁰K in mineral deposits.

explosive    →   eksploziv

Explosive is a compound or mixture that, when ignited or detonated, undergoes rapid violent chemical reaction that produces large amount of gas and heat, accompanied by light, sound and a high pressure shock wave.

haematite    →   hematit

Haematite is a mineral of iron(III) oxide Fe₂O₃. It is the most important ore of iron and usually occurs in two main forms: as a massive red kidney-shaped ore and as grey to black metallic crystals known as specular iron ore. Haematite is the major red colouring agent in rocks; the largest deposits are of sedimentary origin. In industry haematite is also used as a polishing agent (jeweller’s rouge) and in paints.