CHROMIUM

HISTORY OF THE ELEMENT

• Cr is the chemical symbol for this element.
• Its name comes from chroma, the Greek word for color
• Because of it's many intensely colored compounds.
• Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin discovered it in France in 1797.
• It was used in the Qin dynasty 2,000 years ago to coat weapons.

PROPERTIES

• Chromium's melting point is 2180, or 1907 °C and 3465 °F.
• Its boiling point is 2944 or 2671 °C and 4840 °F.
• It has a specific gravity of 51.996, which means it is more dense than water.
• It has a silver gray color.
• It is a lustrous, brittle and hard metal.

USES OF CHROMIUM

• It gives glass a green color and it is responsible for the green in emeralds and the red in rubies.
• Chromium is used to help diabetes patients because it improves the way our bodies use insulin.
• It is used in stainless steel because it does not rust.
• Some people use chromium for weight loss because it is a "trace mineral" or an element humans need in small amounts.
• It is used in tanning leather because it makes it resistant to bacteria and high temperatures.

CHROMIUM SOURCES

• South Africa is the largest producer, then India, Kazakhstan, Zimbabwe, Finland, Iran and Brazil.
• Chromium is mined and found in ores and concentrates.
• It typically costs $32 for 100 grams of pure chromium.
• Chromium is found in sea life and chromium emissions have been found in our atmosphere as well.
• http://m.youtube.com/watch?safe=active&v=g0w6aRToSMs