Lead - Occurrence

Lead is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Pb (L. plumbum) and atomic number 82. A soft, heavy, toxic and malleable poor metal, lead is bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes to dull gray when exposed to air. Lead is used in building construction, lead-acid batteries, bullets and shot, and is part of solder, pewter, and fusible alloys. Lead has the highest atomic number of all stable elements. (But see the article on Bismuth, which has a half life so long it can be cons ...

Including:

• Lead - Notable characteristics
• Lead - Applications
• Lead - History
• Lead - Occurrence
• Lead - Isotopes
• Lead - Precautions
• Lead - Health effects
• Lead - Language derivations
• Lead - Literature

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Native lead does occur in nature, but it is rare. Currently lead is usually found in ore with zinc, silver and (most abundantly) copper, and is extracted together with these metals. The main lead mineral is galena (PbS), which contains 86.6% lead. Other common varieties are cerussite (PbCO3) and anglesite (PbSO4). But more than half of the lead used currently comes from recycling. In mining, the ore is extracted by drilling or blasting and then crushed and ground. The ore is then treated using extractive metallur ...

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Lead, Lead - Notable characteristics, Lead - Applications, Lead - History, Lead - Occurrence, Lead - Isotopes, Lead - Precautions, Lead - Health effects, Lead - Language derivations, Lead - Literature

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Lead has been used by humans for at least 7000 years, because it was (and continues to be) widespread and easy to extract, as well as easy to work with, being both highly malleable and ductile as well as easy to smelt. In the early bronze age lead was used with antimony and arsenic. Lead was mentioned in the Book of Exodus. Alchemists thought that lead was the oldest metal and associated it with the planet Saturn. Lead pipes that bear the insignia of Roman emperors are still in service and many Roman "pigs" (ingots) of lead figure in Derbysh ...

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Lead, Lead - Notable characteristics, Lead - Applications, Lead - History, Lead - Occurrence, Lead - Isotopes, Lead - Precautions, Lead - Health effects, Lead - Language derivations, Lead - Literature

Read more here: » Lead: Encyclopedia II - Lead - History

Main Article: Isotopes of lead Lead has four stable, naturally occurring isotopes: Pb204 (1.4%) Pb206(24.1%) Pb207(22.1%) and Pb208 (52.4%). Pb206, Pb207 Pb208 are all radiogenic, and are the end products of complex decay chains that begin at U238, U235 and Th232 respectively. The corresponding half-lives of these decay schemes vary markedly: 4.47 × 109, 7.04 × 108 a ...

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Lead, Lead - Notable characteristics, Lead - Applications, Lead - History, Lead - Occurrence, Lead - Isotopes, Lead - Precautions, Lead - Health effects, Lead - Language derivations, Lead - Literature

Read more here: » Lead: Encyclopedia II - Lead - Isotopes

Main article: lead poisoning The concern about lead's role in mental retardation in children has brought about widespread reduction in its use (lead exposure has been linked to schizophrenia). Paint containing lead has been withdrawn from sale in industralised countries, though many older houses may still contain substantial lead in their old paint: it is generally recommended that old paint should not be stripped by san ...

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Lead, Lead - Notable characteristics, Lead - Applications, Lead - History, Lead - Occurrence, Lead - Isotopes, Lead - Precautions, Lead - Health effects, Lead - Language derivations, Lead - Literature

Read more here: » Lead: Encyclopedia II - Lead - Health effects

The Latin plumbum has given birth to a number of terms in the English language: Plumbing, or system of piping, derives from the fact that pipes were once made of lead. Plumb bob or plummet, a small, pointed body of metal the weight of which is used to draw a string vertical under tension, refers to the fact that they were originally made from lead. Plumb wall is so-said because a plumb bob is used to find the vertical. Plumbing the depths derives from th ...

See also:

Lead, Lead - Notable characteristics, Lead - Applications, Lead - History, Lead - Occurrence, Lead - Isotopes, Lead - Precautions, Lead - Health effects, Lead - Language derivations, Lead - Literature

Read more here: » Lead: Encyclopedia II - Lead - Language derivations