Scandium, a rare earth element, was discovered in 1879 and identified as part of Dmitri Mendeleev’s predicted triad. Despite its rarity, scandium is used in sports equipment, firearms, bicycles, and lighting, including mass-produced light bulbs and mercury-vapor lamps. It is also used as a tracer agent in petroleum refineries.
First identified in 1879 by a team of scientific researchers led by Lars Fredrick Nilson, the chemical element scandium is a soft metal with a color that is often described as a combination of silver and white. Assigned the atomic number 21, scandium is considered one of a group of rare earth elements. Here’s some background on the history of scandium, as well as examples of how the metal is used today.
Scandium is often identified with the periodic law developed by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. According to his research, Mendeleev concluded that there were three then unknown chemical elements that would eventually be discovered. In order to develop his theory, Mendeleev used the name of ekaboron as a collective term for these elements. After the discovery and identification of scandium in 1879, Swedish researcher Teodor Cleve determined that the element was indeed part of Mendeleev’s predicted triad. This understanding has continued to persist into modern times, with scandium being identified as a transitional element that is still somewhat limited in use, due to its rarity.
Despite the fact that scandium remains a rather rare element, there are several applications that are commonplace today. Because the metal is both light and strong, scandium is ideal for use in some types of sports equipment. One of the most common applications of this type is in the production of lacrosse sticks. Scandium provides the right balance between being heavy enough to allow effective movement, but not so heavy that it slows the player down.
The American arms manufacturer Smith & Wesson has produced a small revolver consisting of a frame made of scandium, accompanied by a titanium cylinder. The revolver is considered a good weight for use in target shooting. Scandium alloy is often combined with titanium to produce products such as bicycles, baseball bats and some golf clubs.
The lighting is also affected by the presence of scandium. Many standard light bulbs have trace amounts of scandium, as the metal helps produce illumination comparable to natural sunlight. Along with mass-produced light bulbs, scandium is also effective as an addition to mercury-vapor lamps that are used in theatres, film and television stages, and arenas around the world. One form of scandium, identified as SC-46, is often employed in petroleum refineries as one of the tracer agents that help maintain the quality of the products being produced.
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