Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-12-10
Some Strange Metals.

az enough 10 the chemist, tnOupl rare
~ seen outside his laboratory, have so
little in common with the metals OF
everyday life as to scarcely seem to
belong TO the same class of substances.
We commonly think of metal rs be-
ing heavy, vet sodium and potassium
Will float on water and lithium is the
lightest Of all known solids. The fact
is that the word metal" is one of the
hardest in the language to define. The
metals all have peculiar luster, TO be
sure, which, from its association, has
come to be called metallic; but many
minerals, as galena and black-lead,
which most certainly are not metals,
have the same appearance, and so on
through the list of properties. The
shcmical relations of the metals give
good reasons for placing these sub
stances by themselves, though even
here the lines are not clearly marked.
One of the most distinctive properties
Of the metals is their power to form,
when combined with acids, q class OF
bodies called salts-on account of their
resemblance to common salt, which
contains about 40 per cent. of the metal
sodium. This metal is blush white,
yaxy solid, and has such n great ten
dencv TO rust, or unite with the oxygen
in the air, that it must be kept in some
oil, like petroleum, which contains no
oxygen.
If bit of sodium be thrown upon a
piece of ice, the metal takes fire, and
any attempts to put it out by pouring
water on it would only be adding fuel
to the flame.
The sodium-match is an application
Of this peculiar property of the metal.
Il is merely bit of wood tipped with
sodium, and which can, of course be
lighted on the stormiest day by the
mere contact of q rain-drop. The
matches are, however, decidedly dam
gcrous, and their manufacture is gen
orally prohibited.
Potassium, which is obtained from
potash is another metal very similar to
sodium, and will take fire upon ice or
water even more readily than this last
uamed metal. A small piece of potas-
SUM thrown into a jug of water appar-
emily takes fire at once, and swims about
with great rapidity, burning all the time
with a brilliant violet flame.
One may be forgiven If his ideas on
combustion are somewhat upset 10y the
Grst sight of this phenomenon, but
there is really nothing very strange
about it. Water is compound of by
drogen and oxygen, and these metals,
sodium and potassium, have so strong
On attraction for oxygen that they will
take it wherever they can find 1t, even
from water.
This, of course, sets the oxygen free,
which is set on fire by the heat given
off when the potassium and oxygen
unite, and burns with q violet color
because of the vapor Of the metal. The
same is true in the case of sodium; the
flame is due to the burning hydrogen
rather than the metal.
Sodium, potassium, and lithium, with
several other metals, form group
known as the alkali metals. There Is
another group, to which iron belongs,
which contains an interesting member
called NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. alumini-
um-from Its occurrence in common
alum.
Aluminium is beautiful metal, much
like silver in appearance, and possess
ing many valuable properties. 1t Is
very sonorous, easily worked, does not
tarnish in the air, and is only about
one-fourth as heavy as silver. 1t con
ducts electricity eight times better than
UGn.
Added to this, it occurs in greater
quantity than any other metal in the
world. Every clay-bank, every granite
bed, is a bed OF aluminium, but rs yet
40 cheap and ready means of obtaining
the metal has been found IN spite oil
all attempts.
Napoleon offered "a large reward tC
any one discovering such process, as
ON account of its lightness, he wish I'd
to use the metal in his army for helmet:
and cuirasses.
1t is hardly possible to give IN exact
statement of the amount Of aluminium
| in different clays, since the composite.
! OF these oarths varies greatly. ca"
are impure silicatcs of alumIuu rd
generally speaking, a good br.ck c.a
contains "A tenth or more 10y Wc.eut @
! thc metal. This would be suflici at &
! plate the upper surface of the hf k
as thy are commonly laid in sidaW TX
with layer Of metallic aluminu
Gith OF an inch deep.
OR this same amount of metal vUl'
form q layer ouc-third of an mch o.!
on tn. outside of the brick, rs the ar'
laid in our houses. So we fnd n;
hidden metal everywhere abou' u
and a p.inccly fortune waits III mm
Who can bring it to the light
4 DESERTED waste the Old maid s.. -
| RgSfg1J Past