Bismuth
Contributor: Chris Barr
Beautiful Bismuth Crystals! Maybe don't try this at home.
About the Display: The Bi display features:
- Bi crystals: have rainbow colors due to the formation of an oxidation layer, even though Bi is naturally a silver-ish metal
- Pepto-Bismol is made of bismuth subsalicylate, which is anti-inflammatory, kills bacteria, and acts as an antacid and antidiarrheal
- Bismuth Oxychloride: is a shiny white solid that has been used in cosmetics since the days of ancient Egypt to give a pearly iridescence to makeup
- Lead Free Solders: used in welding can be made of many different alloys. Some of those alloys use bismuth because it significantly lowers the melting point.
About the Contributor: Chris Barr is a University of Toledo alumnus of chemical engineering. Chris currently
works as a staff member at the University of Michigan - Flint.
Back to the Periodic Table
Symbol: Bi
Atomic Number: 83
Atomic Mass: 208.9804 u
Electron Configuration: [Xe] 4f145d106s26p3
Year Discovered: 1753
Discovered By: Claude Francois Geoffroy