H' at. wt. (natural) 1.007967
at. wt. (H') 1.007822
at. no. 1
m.p. - 259.140C
b.p. - 252.870C
density 0.08988 gm./l
density (liquid) 70.8 gm/i. (-2530C)
density (solid) 7016 gm/i. (-2620C)
valence 1.
Electronic configuration
| K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
| s |
s p |
s p d |
s p d f |
s p d f |
s p d f |
s p d f |
| 1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
BISMUTH (Ger. Weisse Masse, white mass; later Wis-
muth and Bisemutum), Bi; at. wt. 208.9806; at. no.83; m.p.
271 .30C; b.p. 1560 15760 0C; sp. gr. 9.747 (200C) ; valence 3
or 5. In early times bismuth was confused with fin and lead.
Claude Geoffroy the Younger showed it to be distinct from
lead in 1753. It is a white, crystalline, brittle metal with a
pinkish tinge. It occurs native. The most important ores are
bismuthinite or bismuth glance (Bi2S3) and bismfle (Bi2O3).
Peru, Japan, Mexico, Bolivia, and Canada are major bis-
muth producers. Much of the bismuth produced in the U.S.
is obtained as a by-product in refining lead, copper, fin,
silver, and gold ores. Bismuth is the most diamagnetic of all
metals, and the thermal conductivity is lower than any metal,
except mercury. It has a high electrical resistance, apd has the
highest Hall effect of any metal (i.e., greatest increase in
ejectrical resistance when placed in a magnetic field).
"Bismanol" is a permanent magnet of high coercive force,
THE ELEMENTh~Contiiiued)
made of MnBi, by the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory.
Bismuth expands 3.32% on solidification. This property
makes bismuth alloys particularly suited to the making of
sharp castings of objects subject to damage by high tempera-
tures. With other metals, such as tin, cadmium, etc., bis-
muth forms low-melting alloys which are extensively used
for safety devices used in fire detection anduextinguishing
systems. Bismuth is used in producing malleable irons and is
finding use as a catalyst for making acrylic fibers. When
bismuth is heated in air it burns with a blue flame forming
yellow fumes of the oxide. The metal is also used as a
thermocouple material (has highest negativity known), and
has found application as a carrier for U235 or U233 fuel in
atomic reactors. Its soluble salts are characterized by form-
ing insoluble basic salts on the addition of water-a property
sometimes used in detection work. Bismuth oxychlorjde is
used extensively in cosmetict Bismuth subnitrate and sub-
carbonate are used in medicine. High-purity bismuth metal
costs about $4/lb.
© 1999 F. Davies
Delphi O.E.M. Co.
All rights reserved
Return to periodic table