Day 28: Interesting Facts About Nickel
Atomic Symbol: Ni; Atomic Number: 28; Atomic Mass: 58.6934

1. It is estimated that about 67% of known meteorites are composed of iron-nickel, which, despite consisting primarily of iron, have a significant portion of nickel. With these meteorites having significantly higher levels of nickel than the rocks naturally found on earth, testing for nickel is a common way to determine if a sample is likely to be a meteorite.
2. Another metal that is crucial in biological processes, nickel is necessary for activating and inhibiting enzymes, changing membrane characteristics, and influencing hormone production or activity. However, a fifth of people are allergic to nickel and thus cannot come into skin-contact with it, and, upon extended inhalation of nickel-dust, it can be a common carcinogenic or cause other respiratory problems.
3. Some properties that set nickel apart include its ability to be used as a magnet, as few metals can actually do so at room temperature, and its resistance to oxidization or corrosion, making it very useful in metal products such as coins and stainless steel.
4. Common ways in which nickel is used are in stainless steel, coins, giving a green color to glass, dehydrogenating vegetable oil, batteries, magnets, and ceramics. 

Image: Arc melted button. An example of the element nickel.

Day 27: Interesting Facts About Cobalt
Atomic Symbol: Co; Atomic Number: 27; Atomic Mass: 58.9332

1. Cobalt has a very interesting etymology, as according to the World English Dictionary, the name comes from German word “Kobalt” which is derived from the Middle High German word “kobolt” meaning “goblin” because miners believed “that malicious goblins placed it in the silver ore.”
2. Cobalt is found and mined in the crust as the minerals cobaltite, smaltite, and erythrite, in addition to normally being found with nickel, silver, lead, copper, and iron ores. Ores containing primarily cobalt are mainly found in Zaire, Morocco, and Canada, but the bottom of the Pacific Ocean may have cobalt-rich deposits near the Hawaiian Islands.
3. In human health, cobalt plays a role in cancer treatment, as Cobalt-60 is a radioactive isotope whose gamma rays are used in cancer treatments and medical tracers. In addition, it is a part of vitamin B12, which is necessary in our diet for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis. However pure cobalt is both moderately toxic when ingested and slightly toxic when touched with bare skin.
4. Common uses for the metal are in radio-therapy, jet engines, strong metal alloys, magnets, high-temperature cutting tools, dyes, batteries, ceramics, special glasses, and possibly future medicines.

Image: Fractions from a cobalt cathode, 7 and 4 grams.

Day 26: Interesting Facts About Iron
Atomic Symbol: Fe; Atomic Number: 26; Atomic Mass: 55.847 

1. Iron has been well known since ancient times. In fact, Indians were one of the first people to master the art of extracting and smelting iron many years before Europeans. The Iron Pillar located in Delhi is said to be over 1600 years old and in all its time it has not corroded or rusted.
2. Iron is another element whose atomic symbol may not make sense to English-speakers. Its symbol of Fe is derived from its Latin name of ferrum. This name also gives rise to the term ferromagnetic, which is a property of A Allotrope iron.
3. Iron is one of the most frequently used metals in the world. In its pure form, it is actually a rather soft metal, so it is usually combined into alloys to produce stronger metals. However, upon prolonged contact with oxygen, the majority of these iron alloys will rust and corrode, necessitating processes such as galvanization and painting.
4. It is an essential element in biological processes, as plants use iron in chlorophyll and humans use iron in hemoglobin molecules in blood to allow for the transport of oxygen to tissues throughout the body. Yet, too much of it is extremely toxic. Unabsorbed iron in the blood reacts with peroxides to form free radicals that damage DNA, protein, lipids and other cellular components, leading to illness and sometimes death. 

Image: This is a photograph of various forms of high-purity elemental iron. Iron is a blue-gray metal found in steel and many other alloys as well as in pure form.

Day 24: Interesting Facts About Chromium
Atomic Symbol: Cr; Atomic Number: 24; Atomic Mass: 51.9961

1. Many chromium compounds are distinctively colored, ranging from bright oranges and yellows to vivid greens and purples; hence why the name of the element is derived from the Greek word for color.
2. Chromium is the only element which shows antiferromagnetic ordering in its solid state at and below room temperature, although, when raised to a temperature above 38°C, the element becomes paramagnetic.
3. Chromium is commonly used to prepare pigments, in the coloring of rubies and gems, in some tanning processes, as a catalyst, and as a decorative and protective metal coating such as stainless steel.
4. As humans, we require trace amounts of trivalent chromium in our diets to regulate protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism. It also stimulates insulin activity, which means that future studies on chromium may provide insight into diabetes and how to best treat it. Chromium deficiency can result in poor control of blood sugar levels and diabetes-like symptoms.

Image: Chromium, remelted in a horizontal arc zone-refiner, showing large visible crystal grains.

Day 23: Interesting Facts About Vanadium
Atomic Symbol: V; Atomic Number: 23; Atomic Mass: 50.9415 

1. Vanadium is frequently found in our crust in many minerals, ores, rocks, soils, and crude oils, in addition to also being found in many meteorites that crash to earth. We get trace amounts of vanadium in our diets by apples, olive oil, eggs, soy beans, and sunflower oil, all of which are grown in vanadium rich soils.
2. Not only is vanadium is not very reactive, thus not reactive with oxygen or acids, but it also has a very unusual characteristic in which it can act as a metal or nonmetal.
3. Common uses include being used in sports equipment, strengthening steel, magnets, surgical instruments, ceramics, tools, catalysts in dye manufacturing, nutritional supplements, storage batteries, nuclear reactors, axles, electrochemical coating to fight corrosion, and Ford Model-Ts.
4. There are many health benefits and problems attributed to vanadium. Benefits include: lowering blood pressure of those with type 2 diabetes, arguably enhancing sports performance, possibly preventing colon cancer, and preventing cholesterol from building up in the blood vessels; while drawbacks and side-effects include vigorous eye, nose and throat irritation upon exposure to vanadium peroxide dust, and inhaling too much possibly causing pneumonia and bronchitis.

Image: 2.3 grams pure vanadium pieces with a colored oxide layer.

Day 21: Interesting Facts About Scandium
Atomic Symbol: Sc; Atomic Number: 21; Atomic Mass: 44.9559 

1. Scandium does not possess the property which can protect it from the effects of weathering, which is why it can be easily dissolved in most dilute acids and, upon being exposed to air, it changes its appearance to slightly yellowish or pinkish color.
2. While sources of scandium are rare on earth (mainly found in equally rare minerals such as thortveitite, euxenite, and gadolinite), it is among the most common elements that fuel our sun and is in its most stable form during the formation of supernovas.
3. Upon its combination with aluminum, it forms one of the strongest, most light-weight alloys in the world, in addition to other significant improvements upon aluminum’s usual properties, thus making it a huge contender for use in aircrafts, possibly making air-travel 15% cheaper due to the reduction in weight.
4. In the future, it is quite likely that scandium will find use in industrial fuel cells, with efficiency of energy conversion possibly reaching as high as 85%. But for now, scandium is mainly used in sports equipment, such as helmets and golf-clubs, and mercury lamps.

 Image: An example of the element Scandium.