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colored metals https://www.gemologyonline.com/Forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=6133 |
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Author: | Brian [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:01 am ] |
Post subject: | colored metals |
Seeing the various threads about "white" gold made me recall an interesting fact that I thought I'd turn into a quiz question. The periodic table of elements can be separated into metals and non-metals. Among the metals, only three reflect colored light. All the other metals appear silver or gray. Two of these color-reflecting metals are gold and copper. What is the third? And if you are thinking "brass"... sorry, that isn't an element, it is an alloy of zinc and copper whose color reflection comes from the copper. Sorry, no prize for correct answer. |
Author: | allen [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:53 am ] |
Post subject: | |
OK, I'll bite. It either has to be silver (white) or bismuth (pink) depending on your definition of "color". Clearly I had to search the periodic table to come up with bismuth. Not even sure what it is used for but certainly not jewelry. |
Author: | Jason [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:31 am ] |
Post subject: | |
I"m going with Bismuth too. J- I WANT A PRIZE! How bout a free spectrometer? hehe |
Author: | Brian [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:44 am ] |
Post subject: | |
Nope. I have some bismuth shot (a nice replacement for lead shot if you are an eco-friendly fisherman), and it is pretty much gray. And silver is pretty much silver. This metal element has an unmistakable color. |
Author: | Alberto [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:08 am ] |
Post subject: | |
Cesium? |
Author: | Scaramouche [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:58 am ] |
Post subject: | |
After a bout of periodic table reading, I'll bet on osmium, described as blue/grey or blue/black. Doesn't sound promissing, I know. |
Author: | Alberto [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:04 am ] |
Post subject: | |
Tantalium is described like bluish-gray..... |
Author: | Brian [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:43 am ] |
Post subject: | |
Alberto wins with his first answer. Cesium. |
Author: | Alberto [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:02 am ] |
Post subject: | |
ok Prof, i hope i won more answers on spectrometer setup ciao alberto |
Author: | allen [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:21 pm ] |
Post subject: | |
Descriptions from the periodic table (Wickepedia): Bismuth- lustrous pink Cesium- silvery gold Silver- lustrous white Maybe your Bismuth fishing weights are not pure Bismuth? |
Author: | maialetto [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:20 pm ] |
Post subject: | |
In some metals the "color" is due to a film of the metal oxide in the surface. I think the most "famous" is titanium: you can get a variety of colors varying e.g. the oxide film thickness, but the metal itself is gray. With Bi the situation should be very smilar. |
Author: | Brian [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:16 pm ] |
Post subject: | |
Just because you find a piece of iron with orange coloring on its surface doesn't mean that iron is orange. Similarly, bismuth may in some cases have a pink coloring on its surface, but the metal itself is pretty much gray. |
Author: | maialetto [ Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:08 pm ] |
Post subject: | |
Brian wrote: Just because you find a piece of iron with orange coloring on its surface doesn't mean that iron is orange.
That's why I put "color" between quotes |
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