Table of Contents
Germanium is located in the middle of the carbon family, which is Group 14 (IVA) in the periodic table. The periodic table is a chart that shows how chemical elements are related to each other. Carbon and silicon are above germanium and tin and lead are below it.
Where is germanium found?
Germanium is primarily mined with zinc ore as well as with argyrodite, germanite, and coal according to the Los Alamos National Laboratory. According to Chemistry Explained, germanium is mined in Alaska, Tennessee, China, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Russia and Belgium.
Is germanium a gas?
when liquid (at m.p. ) Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a lustrous, hard-brittle, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbors silicon and tin. Like silicon, germanium naturally reacts and forms complexes with oxygen in nature.
What compounds can germanium be found in?
The two most important compounds of germanium are the dioxide (GeO2) and the tetrachloride (GeCl4). Germanates, formed by heating the dioxide with basic oxides, include zinc germanate (Zn2GeO4), used as a phosphor (a substance that emits light when energized by radiation).
Where is germanium found and used?
The largest use of germanium is in the semiconductor industry. When doped with small amounts of arsenic, gallium, indium, antimony or phosphorus, germanium is used to make transistors for use in electronic devices. Germanium is also used to create alloys and as a phosphor in fluorescent lamps.
Is germanium toxic to humans?
Germanium is not an essential element. Its acute toxicity is low. However, at least 31 reported human cases linked prolonged intake of germanium products with renal failure and even death.
Is germanium safe to wear?
Inorganic (elemental) germanium is LIKELY UNSAFE. This includes certain compounds such as germanium oxide. There have been more than 30 reports of kidney failure and death linked with use of these forms of germanium. It builds up in the body and can damage vital organs such as the kidneys.
Does germanium sink or float?
Germanium is stable in air and water, and is unaffected by alkalis and acids, except nitric acid. Germanium is an important semiconductor, mainly used in transistors and integrated circuits. They are often made from germanium to which small amounts of arsenic, gallium, or other metals. Germanium forms many compounds.
What is germanium an example of?
The Germanium element is not doped with any impurities. Hence, it is an intrinsic semiconductor.So, Germanium is an example of an intrinsic semiconductor.
Is germanium man made or natural?
Germanium is not found as the free element in nature. Germanium is found in germanite, argyrodite, and some zinc ores. It is also present in coal and its presence in coal insures reserves for many years.
What is germanium most commonly used for?
The largest use of germanium is in the semiconductor industry. When doped with small amounts of arsenic, gallium, indium, antimony or phosphorus, germanium is used to make transistors for use in electronic devices. Germanium is also used to create alloys and as a phosphor in fluorescent lamps.
Is germanium magnetic?
Abstract. The magnetic susceptibility of highly doped germanium has been measured between 300°K and 1.3°K. The contribution of the carriers to the susceptibility has been derived from the data.
Is germanium a heavy metal?
Some heavy metals are either essential nutrients (typically iron, cobalt, and zinc), or relatively harmless (such as ruthenium, silver, and indium), but can be toxic in larger amounts or certain forms.Germanium † Hydrogen Potassium Calcium Gallium Germanium Arsenic.
Is germanium found in the human body?
Germanium is a chemical element that can be found in trace amounts in some ores and carbon-based materials. Some people promote it as a treatment for HIV and AIDS, cancer, and other conditions. But the purported health benefits of germanium haven’t been supported by research.
Does germanium have health benefits?
Despite serious safety concerns, germanium is used for heart and blood vessel conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease; for eye conditions, including glaucoma and cataracts; and for liver conditions, including hepatitis and cirrhosis.
What food is germanium in?
Germanium is a naturally occurring element. Trace amounts can be found in foods such as shiitake mushrooms, garlic, tuna, and tomato juice. However, it is not an essential nutrient for human health.
Is germanium radioactive?
Germanium 76 is slightly radioactive and is the least common. Germanium 74 is the most common isotope having the greatest natural abundance of the five. Under the condition of being bombarded with alpha particles, Germanium 72 generates stable Se 77.
What does germanium smell like?
Germane Names Chemical formula GeH 4 Molar mass 76.62 g/mol Appearance Colorless gas Odor Pungent.
What is germanium worth?
This precious metal has devaluated as of 2020, when its price stood at around 1,000 U.S. dollars per kilogram.Price of germanium in the United States from 2014 to 2020, by type (in U.S. dollars per kilogram) Characteristic Germanium metal Germanium dioxide 2020* 1,000 720 2019 1,236 913 2018 1,543 1,084 2017 1,082 731.
What makes germanium unique?
Germanium is a lustrous, hard, gray-white semi-metallic element with a crystalline and brittle structure. It is a semiconductor. Germanium and the oxide are transparent to infrared radiation. Germanium also has the unusual property that (like water) it expands as it freezes.
What are 6 interesting facts about germanium?
Interesting Facts about Germanium Scientists are studying germanium for use in chemotherapy to help treat cancer. Dmitri Mendeleev first named the element “ekasilicon”, but it was later renamed by Winkler. Some compounds that include germanium are useful in killing bacteria while not harming animals.
Which is the rarest element on the Earth?
A team of researchers using the ISOLDE nuclear-physics facility at CERN has measured for the first time the so-called electron affinity of the chemical element astatine, the rarest naturally occurring element on Earth.
Who invented germanium?
Germanium, element #32, was discovered in 1886 by Clemens Winkler. Its first broad application was in the form of point contact Schottky diodes for radar reception during WWII.
What are the densities of germanium and Flerovium answers?
Based of the data, Germanium has a density of 4.8 g/mL and Flerovium has a density of 13 g/mL.
Does germanium react with water?
Reaction of germanium with water It is more reactive than silicon, which is immediately above germanium in the periodic table, but not by much. This oxide layer renders germanium more or less inert to water.