48

Cd

Cadmium
107.8682 (2)
 Historical Information

Cadmium was discovered by Friedrich Stromeyer in 1817 from an impurity in some samples pf zinc carbonate, ZnCO3. He noted that these particular samples changed colour on heating, which pure zinc carbonate does not. He was persistent enough to follow this observation through and he eventually isolated some cadmium metal by roasting and reduction of the sulphide.
Basic Information Shells
  • Name: Cadmium
  • Symbol: Cd
  • Atomic number: 48
  • Atomic weight: 107.8682 (2)
  • Standard state: solid at 298 K
  • Group in periodic table: 12
  • Group name:none
  • Period in periodic table: 5
  • Block in periodic table: d-block
  • Classification: Metallic
 cadmium
Uses Trivia
  • used in black and white television phosphors
  • in blue and green phosphors for colour TV tubes
  • Some semiconductors contain cadmium

Cadmium is a soft, bluish-white metal and is easily cut with a knife. It is similar in many respects to zinc. Interestingly, aa characteristic cadmium "scream" is heard on bending a cadmium bar.