Brush the dust off your periodic tables. (I understand some of you may have destroyed or mutilated them because of the love/hate nature of chemistry.) The series is not meant to be difficult but fun and educational.
Beware of Muggles. Please tighten and return the Nano to the exact location and save space by only initialling the log.
Additional information:
It has been known for ages and is mentioned in Exodus. Alchemists believed it to be the oldest metal and associated it with the planet Saturn. They spent a lot of time trying to "transmute" it into gold.
It is one of the elements which has an alchemical symbol, shown below (alchemy is an ancient pursuit concerned with, for instance, the transformation of other metals into gold)
Uses:
the metal and the dioxide are used in storage batteries
cable covering, plumbing, ammunition
manufacture of an antiknock compound in petrol. Environmental concern with poisoning, (and cheaper unleaded petrol prices) is slowly resulting in less use of lead in petrol
- the metal is very effective as a sound absorber
- a radiation shield around X-ray equipment and nuclear reactors
- used extensively in paints, although recently the use in paints has been drastically curtailed to eliminate or reduce health hazards
- the oxide is used in producing fine "crystal glass" and "flint glass" with a high refractive index for achromatic lenses
- solder
- used by the Romans for plumbing (the decline of the Roman empire is attributed to lead in the water supply!)
- used to contain corrosive liquids
- alloying
- cable covering
- ammunition
- shield against X-rays
- oxide used to produce crystal glass
- insecticides