Strontium: A Synthesis Essay

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Strontium was discovered by Adair Crawford, an Irish chemist, in 1790 while studying the mineral witherite (BaCO3). When he mixed witherite with hydrochloric acid (HCl), he did not get the results he expected. He assumed that his sample of witherite was contaminated with an unknown mineral, a mineral he named strontianite (SrCO3). Strontium was first isolated by Sir Humphry Davy, an English chemist, in 1808 through the electrolysis of a mixture of strontium chloride (SrCl2) and mercuric oxide (HgO). Strontium reacts vigorously with water and quickly tarnishes in air, so it must be stored out of contact with air and water. Due to its extreme reactivity to air, this element always naturally occurs combined with other elements and compounds. Strontium is very …show more content…

The only way to decrease concentrations of this isotope is through radioactive decay which would therefore stabilize the isotope. Strontium is also a very small key player in the toothpaste industry. It serves as an ingredient in the toothpaste of Sensodyne, which is used to help those that suffer from sensitive teeth. Besides being used in all these industries, Strontium is also used to refine Zinc and make it free from impurities and other extra stuff. It helps to reduce the impurities that are present from Lead. Lead is such an element that it contains many different elements inside of it, such as Zinc, Bismuth, Antimony, etc. Strontium helps to isolate these elements and make them appear in the pure form. Strontium was also used to create one of the world's first atomic clock. Atomic clocks help keep accurate time, and they are used all over the world in many different fields. It is amazing to see how a small invention can change the world. In conclusion, Strontium is a very fascinating element that has many functions and it also serves many roles in a variety of

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