The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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Rhenium is a transition metal, one of the elements found in the middle of the periodic table. It has an atomic number of 75, an atomic mass of 186.207, and a chemical symbol of Re.
Rhenium is a silvery metal that is both ductile and malleable. It has a melting point of 5,756°F (3,180°C), a boiling point of 10,166°F (5,630°C), and a density of 21.02 grams per cubic centimeter. All three of these values are among the highest for any chemical element. Rhenium is a moderately stable metal that does not react with oxygen or most acids very readily. It does react with concentrated nitric acid (HNO3) and concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4).
Rhenium is one of the rarest elements in the world with an abundance estimated at about one part per million in the Earth's crust. The major rhenium-producing countries of the world are Chile, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The metal is usually found as an impurity in copper and molybdenum ores.
Rhenium was discovered in 1925 by a German research team that included Walter Noddack (1893-1960), Ida Tacke Noddack, and Otto Berg. The team named the element in honor of the Rhineland in western Germany.
About three-quarters of all rhenium consumed in the United States is used in the manufacture of superalloys--alloys containing iron, cobalt, or nickel. Such alloys have the ability to withstand very high temperatures and attack by oxygen and are used in making jet engine parts and gas turbine engines. Other rhenium alloys are used in making temperature control devices, such as thermostats; vacuum tubes, like those in a television set; and electromagnets, electrical contacts, and thermocouples. Finally, a relatively small amount of rhenium is used to make catalysts for the petroleum industry. The compounds of rhenium have virtually no commercial applications.