Zinc
Zn
Description
Zinc is a bluish-white, lustrous transition metal. It is the 24th most abundant element in the Earth's crust and is primarily known for its exceptional corrosion resistance and its role as an essential trace element for biological health. In industrial physics, it is a key component in alloys and protective coatings.
Crystallographic Structure
Zinc crystallizes in the Hexagonal Close-Packed (HCP) system. Notably, Zinc exhibits a significant "stretching" along the c-axis compared to the ideal HCP structure.
- Lattice Parameters: $a = 2.665$ Å, $c = 4.947$ Å
- $c/a$ Ratio: $1.856$ (deviates significantly from the ideal $1.633$ ratio)
- Coordination Number: 12
- Atomic Packing Factor (APF): 0.74
- Space Group: $P6_3/mmc$
Properties
- Atomic Number: 30
- Atomic Mass: 65.38 u
- Melting Point: 419.5°C (relatively low for a metal)
- Boiling Point: 907°C
- Density: $7.14\text{ g/cm}^3$
- Electrode Potential: $-0.76$ V (highly reactive, making it ideal for sacrificial anodes)
Applications
Galvanization: The largest use of zinc; it is applied as a coating to iron and steel to prevent rusting.
Die Casting: Used extensively in the automotive and electronics industries to create complex, high-precision parts like gears and housings.
Brass Production: An essential alloy (Copper + Zinc) used in musical instruments, plumbing, and decorative hardware.
Batteries: Acts as the anode in alkaline batteries and zinc-carbon cells.
Agriculture & Health: Used in fertilizers to treat soil deficiency and in pharmaceuticals as a vital nutrient supplement.
Unit Cell Axes
a=2.66 b=2.66 c=4.95
Unit Cell Angles
α=90° β=90° γ=120°
Lattice Type
Primitive
Grid Expansion
Appearance
Coordination