History

The name comes from the Latin word “alumen” meaning “alum or aluminum potassium sulfate. Aluminum is pronounced as ah-LOO-men-em.  It is believed that aluminum existed in 1787 but Hans Christian Oersted discovered Aluminum in 1825. He obtained the metal by heating dry aluminum chloride with potassium metal. Though discovered by Oersted, much credit is given to Wohler who also discovered it in 1825. He discovered it pure while Oerstand discovered it impure. The Greeks and Romans used aluminum to heal the sick and the dieing.

Properties

Pure aluminum is slivery white. It is lightweight, nonmagnetic, and nonsparking. Its physical state is solid and is a combustible solid. Aluminum is a malleable metal. Its melting point is 1220.58 °F and the boiling point 4566 °F. Aluminum is very reactive; it is second on the scale of malleability and sixth on the scale of ductility. It has 13 protons and electrons and 14 neutrons. It is classified in Other Metals. Its crystal structure is cubic. The atomic mass is 26.982 amu and its symbol is Al. The period number of Aluminum is 3 and the group number is 13.

Hazards

Potential problems involving Aluminum include industrial accidents involving production of aluminum powders and pastel, labeling, warnings, and markings, transportation of aluminum powders and pastes, waste disposal of aluminum powders and pastes, storage and handling of aluminum powders and pastes, dusts generated in processing and finishing aluminum and its alloys, employee hazard communication, work practices, and facility design. The greatest industrial hazard of aluminum is chemical reaction because Aluminum is a very reactive metal. Contact with aluminum through food, breathing, and by skin contact can lead to serious health effects such as damage to the central nervous system, dementia, loss of memory, listlessness, and severe trembling.