Lithium
Introduction
Lithium is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element. It is also one of the few elements produced in significant quantities by the Big Bang nucleosynthesis.
Characteristics
Lithium is a soft, silvery-white, metal that belongs to the alkali metal group of chemical elements. It is the lightest metal, and its density is half that of water. Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in mineral oil.
Occurrence
Lithium occurs in a number of pegmatitic minerals, but due to its solubility as an ion, it is present in ocean water and is commonly obtained from brines and clays. On a commercial scale, lithium is isolated electrolytically from a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride.
Applications
The largest use of lithium is in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, and electric vehicles. Lithium is also used in some non-rechargeable batteries for things like heart pacemakers, toys, and clocks.
Biological role and precautions
Though lithium is not a native element of the human body, its salts have proven to be useful as a mood-stabilizing drug in the treatment of bipolar disorder in humans. As such, it is classified as an essential nutrient by some nutritional experts.
See Also
