Bismuth is a chemical element with the symbol Bi.
The etymology of bismuth takes us to the scientific Latin bismut[h]um , in turn from the German Wismuth or Bismuth . Bismuth is a chemical element whose symbol is Bi and its atomic number is 83 .
Bismuth is a very fragile metal with a scarce presence in the Earth 's crust. Its color is grayish or silvery and can melt easily.
Discovery of bismuth
According to historical records, bismuth is among the first metals that humans discovered. However, it was long confused with other elements, such as zinc , tin , and lead .
The German Georgius Agricola is credited with having stated, in the mid- 16th century , that bismuth was a different metal from those mentioned. Already in 1753 , the Frenchman Claude François Geoffroy managed to demonstrate this distinction, thus making him known as the discoverer of bismuth.
The important thing to keep in mind is that, long before its formal discovery, man was already using bismuth. The Inca people, for example, used bismuth in alloys that allowed them to make knives.
Its properties
Several peculiarities make bismuth an element with unique characteristics. It is, for example, the metal with the highest diamagnetism : therefore, it repels magnetic fields.
Along with manganese , it is also the metal that conducts heat the worst. In this way it can be said that it is a poor thermal conductor .
Like water and other substances, bismuth has greater density in the liquid state. Thus, solid bismuth floats on top of liquid bismuth.
Although the toxicity of bismuth is low, in exceptional cases it can cause poisoning, causing everything from gastroenteritis and dermatitis to headaches, liver problems and kidney damage.
There are many uses for bismuth.
Uses of bismuth
Many times bismuth is used to replace lead . This replacement is seen in ammunition (bullets, pellets, etc.) and in the sinkers used for fishing. The electronics industry is also moving away from lead to bismuth as a component of certain solders .
In the field of medicine , bismuth is used to produce drugs that are used to treat intestinal disorders and in the manufacture of protection elements against X-rays .
The production of fire extinguishers and cosmetics such as nail polish and hair spray is also possible thanks to bismuth.
Bismuthine
A mineral found on the American continent is called bismuthine or vitreous bismuth . Grayish in color, it usually has yellowish spots and stands out for its shine.
Vitreous bismuth is used as bismuth ore . It should be remembered that an ore is a mineral extracted from a metal as it appears in the deposit.
Bismuth as the name of fictional characters
In the animated series “Steven Universe” , produced by Cartoon Network and released in 2013 , Bismuth is a character that appears in the last three seasons and also in the movie that was released in 2019 .
Bismuth (Bismuth, en inglés) es además un personaje de la line Amalgam que editaron en conjunto Marvel y DC Comics. Se trata de una amalgama (combinación) de toad de los X-Men (Marvel) y de tin de los Metal Men (DC Comics).