The Element Aluminum


Aluminum is the most widely used non-ferrous metal and it is the most abundant metallic element in the earth’s crust. However, the element is rare in its free form due to its affinity to oxygen. Therefore, aluminum only occurs in oxygen deficient environments such as volcanic mud and had been once considered a precious metal like gold.

What we call “aluminum” today are actually alloys of aluminum. A common example for this is the aluminum foils we use in ovens which is made up of 92%-99% of aluminum. Other similar utilities of aluminum include cooking utensils, electrical transmission lines, heat sinks for transistors and CPUs and as construction material for windows, doors, sidings etc.

Atomic Number & Chemical Properties


Element Basics:

Chemical Symbol: Al
Atomic Number: 13
Atomic Weight: 26.981539
Element Classification: Other Metal
Discovered By: Hans Christian Oersted
Date of Discovery: 1825 (Denmark)
Origin of Name: Latin: alumen, aluminis, (alum).

How to Recognize it at a Party:

Soft, lightweight, silvery-white metal

Seriously Atomic Information:

Density (g/cc): 2.6989
Melting Point (°K): 933.5
Boiling Point (°K): 2740
Atomic Radius (pm): 143
Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 10.0
Covalent Radius (pm): 118
Ionic Radius: 51 (+3e)
Pauling Negativity Number: 1.61
First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 577.2
Oxidation States: 3
Electronic Configuration: [Ne] 3s2 3p1

Getting Intimate with Aluminum:

Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic (FCC)
Lattice Constant (Å): 4.050
Lattice C/A Ratio: n/a
Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 0.900
Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 10.75
Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 284.1
Thermal Conductivity (@25°C W/m K):
Debye Temperature (°K): 394.00


Society's Questions About Aluminum:

Have you ever wondered what everyone else in the world thinks about Aluminum? Is anyone else looking for it too? If so, why? What do they want?

The following list shows the most common online questions about the element Aluminum. Are your questions the same or different from everyone else's?

Top Aluminum Topics:

  • aluminum 1633
  • aluminum door canopy 606
  • aluminum tubing 276
  • aluminum boats 227
  • aluminum christmas tree 209
  • alumina 204
  • aluminum can crusher 197
  • aluminum extrusions 176
  • aluminum fence 174
  • aluminum boat, fishing, sale, discount 162
  • aluminum extrusion 137
  • aluminum fishing boats 134
  • aluminum wheels 134
  • facts about aluminum 130
  • aluminum oxide 128
  • aluminum foil 126
  • welding aluminum 123
  • aluminum fencing 119
  • aluminum hot tubs 118
  • aluminum windows 116
  • aluminum sheet 109
  • kaiser aluminum 109
  • aluminum tins 107
  • aluminum siding 105
  • aluminum welding 105
  • cast aluminum garden benches 102
  • aluminum element 100
  • aluminum boat 98
  • extruded aluminum 97
  • aluminum diamond plate 93
  • aluminum horse trailer 93
  • aluminum cans 91
  • aluminum can tab 86
  • aluminum christmas trees 86
  • aluminum jon boats 86
  • aluminum recycling 84
  • aluminum nitride 82
  • aluminum railing for porch 81
  • aluminum repair 81
  • aluminum truck beds 81
  • emboss aluminum flashing 81
  • history of aluminum 81
  • aluminum products 79
  • aluminum channel 75
  • aluminum honeycomb panels 72
  • aluminum pipe 70
  • aluminum properties 68
  • custom aluminum boats lousiana 68
  • aluminum atom 67
  • aluminum trailers 67
  • element aluminum 67
  • painted aluminum wall system 67
  • aluminum casting 65
  • aluminum hydroxide 65
  • aluminum storm windows 65
  • aluminum sulfate 65
  • aluminum welders 65
  • reynolds aluminum 65
  • aluminum can 63
  • aluminum easels 63
  • aluminum foil history 63
  • aluminum patio furniture 63
  • density of aluminum 63
  • aluminum can crafts 61
  • aluminum radiator 61
  • painting aluminum siding 61
  • aluminum jon boat 59
  • aluminum poisoning 59
  • aluminum powder 59
  • aluminum tube 59
  • aluminum gate 58
  • aluminum formula hydroxide 56
  • aluminum stock 56
  • corrugated aluminum 56
  • uses of aluminum 56
  • scrap aluminum 54
  • shearing aluminum illinois 54
  • single pane aluminum replacement windows 54
  • aluminum boat paint 52
  • aluminum laptop case 52
  • aluminum panels 52
  • aluminum per pound price 52
  • aluminum purse 52
  • aluminum radiators 52
  • club aluminum cookware 52
  • powder coating aluminum 52
  • scrap aluminum price 52
  • simonton aluminum windows 52
  • aluminum cases 51
  • aluminum fence panels 51
  • aluminum framing system 51
  • aluminum tin pans 51
  • aluminum tracks 51
  • building aluminum arrows 51
  • aluminum cabinet frame 49
  • aluminum containers 49
  • aluminum fabrication 49
  • aluminum sheets 49
  • aluminum truck tool boxes 49
  • aluminum angle 47