Monday, November 11, 2019

Lead


Located at Group 14 and Period 6 of the Periodic Table is one of the elements used for making of water pipes. This is Lead.

Eventually, Lead has been discovered since 3000 B.C. somehow appeared in the human race. And first isolated by somewhere else by the Ancient Romans.
The Colosseus

There are just a few element ' discovered ' at 3000 B.C, where humans used lead for many artifacts now kept in the museum. There is also prove that Lead also existed since the Ancient Roman's time.

However, Lead is also used as making pots and pans. Lead is a very toxic and poisonous metal. While the Romans cook, Lead's poison will get into the food. Slowly, the Lead's poison accumulates in the body and eventually, as time goes by, the effect of Lead - Poisoning appears.

Romans at that time knew that this poisoning had something to do with Lead. So, eventually, Lead isn't used in pots and pans making anymore.

Still, Romans after that still use Lead as their sources. One reason is because that Lead is easy to work with. Which is why, the Romans, chose to work with lead. They pour the molten metal into clay troughs of various lengths then, when solidified, wrapped around a branch or long pole and hammered into pipe to make sheets of lead.
Lead Sheets

Today, the uses of Lead are almost similar to the uses of Lead and the Ancient Roman's times. However, the methods of obtaining pure lead is different from that compared with the Romans.

Today, most lead is obtained by roasting the mineral called Galena in hot air, although nearly one third of the lead used in the United States is obtained through recycling efforts. Lead have properties of soft, malleable and corrosion resistant.It was used to make water pipes by the ancient Romans.Some of which are still in use today.

Lead is quite common in the Earth's crust, which appears about 13 to 20 parts per million of Lead that exists in the Earth's Crust.
Galena

Lead almost never exist in pure form. Instead, it exists as a compound of minerals in minerals such as the most common one, Galena. Lead also exist in ores such as Anglesite, Cerrusite and Mimelite.

Lead can cause serious lead poisoning, especially to kids. Children develops a disease called pica, which the children would have a sudden desire to eat dirt, paper and chalk. So, one time, the house paints were made from Lead. So, Children with Pica will eat paint chips of walls. So, when they eat the Lead - made painted chips on the walls, they will get lead - poisoning.
Don't eat!
So, Lead is very poisonous... just try not to eat Lead, okay?


Atomic Number : 82
Name : Lead
Latin Name : Plumbum
Electrons per Shell : [ 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 4 ]
Discoverer : Unknown ( Known since Ancient Times )
Isolator : The Romans ( Unknown year )
Element's : Atomic Mass : 207.2 u 
                  : Density : 11.342 g/cm3
                  : Type : Other Metals
Chemical Properties : 

Lead - 208
  • Moderately Active Metal
  • Dissolves slowly in water
  • Dissolves in most cold acids
  • Reacts with Hot Acids
  • Reacts with Oxygen but doesn't burn
  • 95 isotopes : 3 of them are :
       Lead - 206 : Protons : 82
                         : Neutrons : 124
                         : Electrons : 82
      ( Half Life :  Stable )

       Lead - 207 : Protons : 82
                         : Neutrons : 125
                         : Electrons : 82
      ( Half Life : Stable )

       Lead - 208 : Protons : 82
                         : Neutrons : 126
                         : Electrons : 82
      ( Half Life : Stable )
Physical Properties : 
  • Heavy
  • Soft
  • Gray Colored
  • Ductile
  • Malleable
  • Shiny when first cut
  • Tarnishes slowly
  • Very Poisonous
  • Melting Point : 327.4 degrees Celsius ( 621.3 Fahrenheit )
  • Boiling Point : 1755 degrees Celsius ( 3190 Fahreheit )
    Toxic Hazard Symbol
How Lead got its name?
Lead is actually an Anglo-Saxon word for the metal that has been used and known about since ancient times. As for the symbol Pb, it comes from the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." Because the Romans used lead for making pipes, which is where the word "plumber" comes from as well.
Plumber

Uses
Lead is used by the Romans as pipes and lining baths. Romans also use Lead to make pot and pans. However, as they continue to use Lead - made pot and pans, problem starts to occur. Lead Poisoning starts to grow. So, eventually, the manufacture of Lead pot and pans were banned. So, Romans only use Lead as pipes and lining baths.

Lead - Acid Batteries
Today, people used Lead for car batteries, pigments, ammunition, cable sheathing, weights for lifting, weight belts for diving, lead crystal glass, radiation protection and in some soldiers. People also often use them to store corrosive liquids.


THIS IS THE END OF LEAD
To go to homepage, click this link : 

To go to Chemistry Element Page, click this link : 



Thanks for visiting.
If there is any improvements needed, feel free to comment at the comment section below.
Thank you.