Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. It is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut, It is silvery with a hint of blue; it tarnishes to a dull gray color when exposed to air. Lead has the highest atomic number of any stable element and three of its isotopes are endpoints of major nuclear decay chains of heavier elements.
Atomic number | 82 |
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Symbol | Pb |
Atomic weight | 207.19 |
Melting point | 327.5 °C (621.5 °F) |
Boiling point | 1,744 °C (3,171.2 °F) |
It is a metal that has been used since Roman times for making paints and pipes as a corrosion-resistant. Used in car batteries and a major ingredient of lead-acid batteries. For soldering parts of electrical equipment. As electrodes in electrolysis processes.
Physical Properties of Lead
- It is a white lustrous metal with a soft texture and is highly malleable.
- The metal is highly corrosion-resistant, in addition to not being a poor conductor of electricity.
- The metal in its powdered form produces a bluish-white flame when burnt in air.
- Once mixed with fluorine in room temperature form lead fluoride.
- Pb atom has 82 electrons, arranged in an electron configuration of [Xe]4f145d106s26p2.
- Pure Pb has a bright, silvery appearance with a hint of blue.