A-LU-MI-NUM
You are probably very familiar with the metal aluminum (Al). Many of you wrap your sandwiches with aluminum foil. On the other hand, many of your families also cook with the foil. Being such an expert with aluminum, you already know that the metal is a silvery white color and very reflective. Another great trait of aluminum is that it is not toxic. So cook and eat away - the aluminum foil will not get you sick.
The thirteenth element in the periodic table has many other uses. When aluminum is combined with other metals, it becomes very strong. It is so strong that engineers use it to build planes and ships. Did you know that there is even a type of plastic that has aluminum inside? Even though humans have been using the metal for thousands of years, it was not until 1807 that Davy named the metal. It took another twenty years before it was purified and isolated by a chemist named Wohler. Aluminum is located in the same column of the periodic table with periodic table (B).
Where can you find aluminum?
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Serving Utensils The next time you sit down to eat dinner at a restaurant you should know that aluminum was used to make the utensils. When you see forks, knives, and spoons they usually have some aluminum inside. |
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Rubies and Gems There is a very special stone called a ruby. It is found in all sorts of jewelry. It has a very deep red color. There are aluminum atoms inside of all rubies. |
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Aluminum Foil Sometimes when you go to school your mom might put your sandwich in foil. That foil is made out of aluminum. Some people save it for years and make big balls out of it. |
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Power Transmission Lines There are power lines all over the United States. Sometimes those cables are made with aluminum. Aluminum is very good at sending electricity from one point to another. It is a good conductor. |
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Airplanes and Helicopters Aluminum is a really light metal. When it is mixed with other elements it can also become very strong. Engineers found out that they could build airplanes with aluminum because it is sturdy and light. |
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Sapphires Wow! Aluminum is in a lot of gem stones. First you learned that it is in rubies and now you're learning that aluminum is inside of sapphires. Maybe rubies and sapphires aren't that different! |
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Cans and Packaging This one's easy! You should know what an aluminum can is. All of your soda usually comes in cans and those cans are usually made of aluminum. |
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