The Element Indium
This element shows characteristics similar to aluminum or gallium but closely related to zinc and Indium is found in zinc ores. Indium is widely used for producing transparent electrodes and liquid crystal displays. Some of the Indium compounds are semiconductors with useful properties. One of the other wider and known applications is for LEDs and LDs (laser displays).
Indium was first discovered by a team of German scientists while experimenting with zinc ores. Until 1924, there was only one gram of Indium on the planet and then found methods to extract Indium from zinc ores. Canada is the current leading producer of Indium.
Atomic Number & Chemical Properties
Element Basics:
Chemical Symbol: In
Atomic Number: 49
Atomic Weight: 114.818
Element Classification: Other Metal
Discovered By: Ferdinand Reich, T. Richter
Date of Discovery: 1863 (Germany)
Origin of Name: Latin: indicum (color indigo), the color it shows in a spectroscope.
How to Recognize it at a Party:
Very soft, silvery-white metal
Seriously Atomic Information:
Density (g/cc): 7.31
Melting Point (°K): 429.32
Boiling Point (°K): 2353
Atomic Radius (pm): 166
Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 15.7
Covalent Radius (pm): 144
Ionic Radius: 81 (+3e)
Pauling Negativity Number: 1.78
First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 558.0
Oxidation States: 3
Electronic Configuration: [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p1
Getting Intimate with Indium:
Lattice Structure: Tetragonal (TET)
Lattice Constant (Å): 4.590
Lattice C/A Ratio: n/a
Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 0.234
Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 3.24
Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 225.1
Thermal Conductivity (@25°C W/m K):
Debye Temperature (°K): 129.00
Society's Questions About Indium:
Have you ever wondered what everyone else in the world thinks about Indium? 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 Indium. Are your questions the same or different from everyone else's?
Top Indium Topics:
- indium 306
