Zirconium

Atomic Number: 40
Symbol: Zr
Atomic Mass: 91.22 u
Number of Neutrons: 51
Melting Point: 1855°C
Boiling Point: 4409°C
Electrons per shell: 2.8.18.10.2
Electron configuration: [Kr] 4d² 5s²

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Zirconium is the 40th element in the periodic table and it is one of the transition metals. It is a silver-gray metal, that is malleable and easily forms stable compounds. Zirconium is very resistant against corrosion, so it is used often in corrosive environments. It is very useful, and the demand is growing. It is starting to be a replacement for titanium which is quite similar to zirconium. Zirconium is mostly found and mined in Australia, South Africa, the USA, Russia and Brazil. In these places, this element is found in decently abundant amounts. The person that discovered this element was a German chemist, Martin Klaproth, in 1789. Zirconium named after the ore that it was found in, zircon.

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