Aluminum is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. It belongs to the group of lightweight metals, featuring a silvery-white appearance, non-magnetic properties, and excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. In nature, aluminum is not found in its pure form but commonly exists as compounds in clay, mica, or cryolite.
Discovered by Danish chemist Hans Christian Ørsted in 1825 and first industrially produced in 1856, aluminum has become the most widely used non-ferrous metal in the world. Structurally, aluminum has a face-centered cubic crystal structure with an atomic radius of 143 picometers. When it loses three electrons, its radius reduces to just 39 picometers. Its electron configuration is [Ne]3s²3p¹.
Aluminum has strong reducing properties and readily reacts with non-metals, acids, and metal oxides—especially known for the thermite reaction often used in chemistry. Thanks to its excellent characteristics, aluminum is widely applied in various industries such as construction, transportation, engineering, healthcare, and consumer goods.
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