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Lithium

6.941(2)

Name: Lithium
Symbol: Li
Atomic number: 3
Atomic weight: 6.941(2)
CAS Registry ID: 7439-93-2

Group name: Alkali metal
Period number: 2
Block: s-block
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Description

Lithium is an alkali metal with an atomic weight of 6.941. Lithium has a melting point of 356.97 °F, and a boiling point of 2448 °F. Lithium is the lightest of the metallic elements, has a silver color, and has corrosive characteristics. Common uses for lithium include: heat transfer purposes, mixed with carbonates to create medications for manic-depressive disorders, as a reagent for organic chemistry reactions, as a high temperature lubricant when mixed with oils, and as a mix with other metallic alloys for aircraft construction.

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Isolation

The isolation of lithium is not normally performed in a laboratory. Commercial scale amounts of lithium are isolated electrolytically from ore which contains lithium.

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Spodumene, the ore with the formula LiAl(SiO3)2, is most frequently used for lithium isolation. The alpha form of the ore is heated to 2012 °F into the soft beta ore form. Heated sulphuric acid is mixed with the beta ore, extracted through water, and the end result is a solution of lithium sulphate. Sodium carbonate is used to wash the solution and form a precipitate of insoluble lithium carbonate. The precipitate is reacted with two parts of hydrochloric acid to yield two parts of lithium chloride, carbon dioxide, and water. The lithium chloride, which has a melting point of greater than 1112 °F, is mixed with potassium chloride to decrease the melting point required for the final electrolysis step to around 806 °F; decreasing the melting point means that less energy is required for the electrolysis process. The electrolysis step separates the positive cathode lithium from the negative anode chloride to yield pure lithium.

General
Name	Lithium
Symbol	Li
Number	3
Chemical series	alkali metals
Group	1
Period	2
Block	s
Appearance	silvery white/grey
Standard atomic weight	6.941(2) g·mol−1
Electron configuration	1s2 2s1
Electrons per shell	2, 1

Atomic properties
Crystal structure	cubic body centered
Oxidation states	1 (strongly basic oxide)
Electronegativity	0.98 (Pauling scale)
Ionization energies	1st: 520.2 kJ/mol
(more)	2nd: 7298.1 kJ/mol
(more)	3rd: 11815.0 kJ/mol
Atomic radius	145 pm
Atomic radius (calc.)	167 pm
Covalent radius	134 pm
Van der Waals radius

Physical properties
Phase	solid
Density (near r.t.)	0.534 g·cm−3
Liquid density at m.p.	0.512 g·cm−3
Melting point	453.69 K (180.54 °C, 356.97 °F)
Boiling point	1615 K (1342 °C, 2448 °F)
Critical point	(extrapolated) 3223 K, 67 MPa
Heat of fusion	3.00 kJ·mol−1
Heat of vaporization	147.1 kJ·mol−1
Heat capacity	(25 °C) 24.860 J·mol−1·K−1

Miscellaneous
Magnetic ordering	paramagnetic
Electrical resistivity	(20 °C) 92.8 nΩ·m
Thermal conductivity	(300 K) 84.8 W·m−1·K−1
Thermal expansion	(25 °C) 46 µm·m−1·K−1
Speed of sound (thin rod)	(20 °C) 6000 m/s
Young's modulus	4.9 GPa
Shear modulus	4.2 GPa
Bulk modulus	11 GPa
Poisson ratio
Mohs hardness	0.6
Vickers hardness
Brinell hardness
CAS registry number	7439-93-2

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Lithium

Description

Isolation

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