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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Scandium is the first element in Group 3 of the periodic table. It has an atomic number of 21, an atomic mass of 44.9559, and a chemical symbol of Sc.
Scandium is a silvery white metal that develops a slight pink or yellow tint when exposed to air. It has a melting point of 2,800°F (1,538°C), a boiling point of about 4,900°F (2,700°C), and a density of 2.99 grams per cubic centimeter. Scandium is chemically similar to other rare earth elements. It reacts readily with acids, but not with oxygen.
Scandium has an abundance of about 5-6 parts per million. It appears to be more abundant in the Sun and in some stars than it is on Earth. It is found in more than 800 different minerals, the most important of which are thortveitite and wolframite. Scandium is produced as a byproduct of other industrial operations, such as the mining of fluorite and tantalum ores.
The existence of an element with an atomic number of 21 was predicted in 1869 by Dmitri Mendeleev. Mendeleev developed the periodic table and found that no known element was available to fill the space between calcium (atomic number 20) and titanium (atomic number 22). Mendeleev predicted that element 21 would be discovered and announced the properties he anticipated for the element. About ten years later, the Swedish chemist Lars Nilson (1840-1899) found the element. He suggested the name scandium for the element in honor of the region known as Scandinavia.
Scandium has relatively few commercial uses, the most important being in alloys. Scandium adds low density, resistance to corrosion, and a high melting point to alloys. Such alloys have been found to be especially desirable in sporting equipment, such as baseball bats, lacrosse sticks, and bicycle frames. No compound of scandium has any important commercial use.