Germanium Essay, Research Paper

Germanium

The element that i am studying is Germanium. Ge is the chemical symbol that represents Germanium. The atomic number is 32 and the atomic mass is 72.61(amu). There are 32 protons, 41 neutrons and 32 electrons (Davis143).

The Russian chemist Dmitry Mendeleyev predicted the existence and chemical properties of germanium in 1871; because of its position under silicon in the periodic table, he called it ekasilicon. The element was actually discovered in the silver-sulfide ore argyrodite by the German chemist Clemens Alexander Winkler in 1886 (Heiserman 128).

There are many chemical properties in Germanium. Some of them include that Germanium is an inactive elemant unless divided. Ge does not dissolve in water but on the other hand dissolves in hot acid. Germanium does not react with oxygen at room tempatures (Newton 211).

There are also many Physical Properties. Germanium is a bright, shiny, silvery color. It is also brittle and breaks apart easily. The melting point of Ge is 937.4 degrees Celcius. Germanium’s boiling point is 2,830 degrees celcius. This element is a good semicunductor of electricity(newton 211).

Germanium occurs in small quantities in the ores of silver, copper, and zinc, and in the mineral germanite, which contains 8 percent germanium. Germanium is found in the earths crust. The United States impots Ge to China, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Russia, Belgium etc.( newton 211). Argrodite and Germanite are the 2 most common minerals. There are two mines in the U.S they are located in Alaska and Tennessee(newton 213).

Some interesting facts about Germanium include that it is one of the most popular elements used in the manafacture of electric semiconducter devices. The positon of Germanium on the periodic table is Carbon and Silicon above it and Tin and Lead beneath it.

Germainum is used in many imortant things. Some uses are that 40% of Germanium is used in the U.S to manafacture of Fiber Optic Systems. It is also used as a catalyst. It is Used in industries to make military glass and also used in many home devices also such as phones, satelites and computers.