Currently quite difficult to name the metal, which could use the area to compete with aluminum.It is used in consumer goods and high-tech devices: fully enumerate them does not make sense because of the widespread distribution.What is so remarkable aluminum?
First of all, it is one of the most common metals in the earth's crust, and among other elements takes the third place (after oxygen and silicon).However, surprisingly, to the end of X × I century it was valued as gold and silver.It is noteworthy that in 1889 D. Mendeleev presented scales, tanks were made of gold and aluminum.The reason for this lies in the fact that at that time there was no technology that allows to obtain the metal in an industrial scale.Only in 1855 it was obtained by chemically vosmikilogrammovy bar.
In the future, the technology was improved, but its essence remained the same - the chemical displacement of fluids.And only in 1886, both in America and France had proposed an electrolytic method used in modern manufacturing.The molten cryolite (rare natural mineral) added alumina mass is passed through a constant current to the electrodes resulting crystallized metal.The density of aluminum is only 2.7 g / cm3, making it one of the lightest metals (for comparison, the density of iron is much larger - 7.9 g / cm3).Incidentally, all metals are classified according to their density into light and heavy.Since the specific weight of aluminum is almost three times lower than that of copper, and electrical conductivity gives her all in half, it is not difficult to understand why this metal is widely used in electrical engineering.
wires, tires and other elements of electrical installations, made of aluminum, is not only cheaper made of its direct competitor, copper, and more easily.The density of aluminum is sufficient to create a strong and at the same time of plastic products: kitchen utensils (trays, forks, bowls), the rolls of foil for household use and so forth. However, since aluminum is able to readily form alloys with most other metals, itYou can impart desirable properties.For example, an alloy based on aluminum and magnesium are characterized by high strength (for every 1% increase in magnesium necessary strength 30 MPa);mixing the copper with aluminum allows for mechanical properties characteristic of some types of steel.
density of aluminum (in pure form) are the tables of characteristics of metals.As already mentioned, it is 2.7 g / cm3.In some cases it is necessary to know the density of aluminum, using (for example, if it is the material from which the body is made).There are several ways to solve this problem, but the most accurate result gives dividing body weight by the volume occupied by them.If everything is clear with the mass, the volume of oversize items can be easily found by measuring the displaced fluid (remember Archimedes with its bathroom).Clearly, that is not always possible to perform the direct weighing, so this method is not universal, even though it gives the most accurate result.
Interestingly, those who found the Soviet Union, remembers the abundance of products from aluminum and its alloys, but now from the former greatness has disappeared, as the cost of the metal has increased significantly.Why is that?This is due to the fact that when the electrolytic process to produce 1 tonne of aluminum roughing necessary to spend about 15-17 000 kilowatt hours of electricity (direct current).And in this case are not considered rare cryolite costs, especially if it has been synthesized artificially.
