{"id":183,"date":"2020-04-09T09:47:33","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T09:47:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/?page_id=183"},"modified":"2023-08-15T15:24:24","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T15:24:24","slug":"lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/lead\/","title":{"rendered":"Lead (Pb)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lead is a chemical element with atomic number 82 in the periodic table. It\u2019s available in Earth\u2019s crust at 14 ppm and is typically found in the form of several different lead ores. This lustrous heavy metal has four valence electrons and the heaviest stable atom among all other elements of Mendeleev\u2019s system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Element 82 is one of the most toxic chemical elements as well as one of the main environmental pollutants. But, despite its toxicity, lead has a wide industrial application.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chemical and Physical Properties of Lead<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Property<\/strong><\/td>Value<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Symbol<\/td>Pb<\/td><\/tr>
Name<\/td>Lead<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic number<\/td>82<\/td><\/tr>
Group<\/td>14 (Heavy metal)<\/td><\/tr>
Period<\/td>6 (p-block)<\/td><\/tr>
Color<\/td>A silvery-grey lustrous metal with a bluish-white hue<\/td><\/tr>
Physical state<\/td>Solid at room temperature<\/td><\/tr>
Half-life<\/td>From 0.23(15) milliseconds to 2.01\u00d71019 years<\/td><\/tr>
Electronegativity<\/td>1.8<\/td><\/tr>
Density<\/td>11.3 g.cm\u22123 at 20\u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>
Melting point<\/td>327.462\u00b0C, 621.432\u00b0F, 600.612 K<\/td><\/tr>
Boiling point<\/td>1749\u00b0C, 3180\u00b0F, 2022 K<\/td><\/tr>
Van der Waals radius<\/td>0.154 nm<\/td><\/tr>
Ionic radius<\/td>0.132 nm (+2); 0.084 nm (+4)<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic weight<\/td>207.2\u00a0u<\/td><\/tr>
Isotopes<\/td>43<\/td><\/tr>
Most characteristic isotope<\/td>204Pb, 206Pb, 207Pb, and 208Pb<\/td><\/tr>
Electronic shell<\/td>[Xe] 4f145d106s26p2<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the first ionization<\/td>715.4 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the second ionization<\/td>1450.0 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the third ionization<\/td>3080.7 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the fourth ionization<\/td>4082.3 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the fifth ionization<\/td>6608 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
Discovery date<\/td>Unknown; in ancient times<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With the periodic table symbol Pb, atomic number 82, atomic mass of X g.mol-1, and electron configuration X, lead is very soft, ductile, and malleable silvery-gray by color. It reaches its boiling point at 1749\u00b0C, 3180\u00b0F, 2022 K, while the melting point is achieved at 327.462\u00b0C, 621.432\u00b0F, 600.612 K.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike many other metals, lead is not a good conductor of electricity. It’s corrosion-resistant, but tarnishes upon exposure to air and changes its color from lustrous silver<\/a> to dull gray. Lead has an electronegativity of 1.8 according to Pauling, whereas the atomic radius according to van der Waals is 0.154 nm.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Was Lead Discovered?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Known since ancient times, lead was very likely discovered along with silver since they often occur in the same mineral ores. The first record evidence of lead\u2019s existence was found in the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal (668-626 BC). Allegedly, one of the Babylonian scripts contains <\/span>the verses<\/span><\/a> \u201cYou melt Copper<\/a> and Lead, you clean Gold<\/a> and Silver.” This is a clear reference to the process of lead isolation from the ores.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easy to be extracted and worked with, lead has been widely used by the ancient civilization, especially the Romans. They differentiated lead (Pb) from tin (Sn) by using the expression \u2018plumbum nigrum\u2019 (black lead) for element 82, and \u2018plumbum album\u2019 (white lead) for element 50. In today’s classification of the chemical elements in the periodic table by Mendeleev, tin is placed directly above lead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first thing they learned about this heavy metal is that it\u2019s very poisonous. The ancient people became aware of <\/span>this<\/span><\/a> after more and more lead miners fell ill and perished upon exposure to this chemical after a short while. Consequently, they forced prisoners and slaves to do the lead mining instead.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most notable use of this metal by the Romans was for plumbing, hence its name. Also, they were producing various other everyday items of it, such as coins, statues decorating their garden paths, glazes, glasses, enamels, utensils, even some types of weapons.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even the ancient alchemists were intrigued by this chemical. In the Middle Ages, alchemy was a combination of science, philosophy, medicine, and mysticism. Believing that precious metals were the perfect elixir of life, the alchemists of that time were using this metal as their \u201c<\/span>philosopher’s stone<\/span><\/a>\u201d which was their definition of lead.\u00a0 In an attempt to turn this ordinary metal into gold, the alchemist used the process of <\/span>chrysopoeia<\/span><\/i><\/a> (<\/span>Greek:<\/span><\/i> transmutation<\/span><\/i>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Did Lead Get Its Name?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The name of this chemical element originates from the Anglo-Saxon words \u2018<\/span>lead<\/span><\/i>‘, the Middle English \u201c<\/span>leed<\/span><\/i>\u201d(lede), and Old English \u201c<\/span>l\u0113ad<\/span><\/i>\u201d, all denoting metal. The symbol Pb of lead was derived from the ancient Romans and their practice to use lead pipes for plumbing. Hence, the symbol Pb for lead was derived from the Latin word \u2018from the Latin \u2018<\/span>plumbum<\/span><\/i>\u2019 associated with the first known practical use of this metal.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where Can You Find Lead?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The pure, elemental form of lead can be rarely found in nature. It mostly occurs in zinc<\/a>, copper, and silver ores. The primary lead ore is the mineral <\/span>galena (PbS). <\/span><\/i>This natural form of the lead sulfide mineral occurs as a component of the minerals sphalerite, anglesite, tennantite-tetrahedrite, cerussite, minum, pyrite, chalcopyrite, skarns, as well as in the sedimentary rocks. Due to its distinct silver color and metallic luster, galena is easy to be identified in sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typically, galena (PbS) comprises 86.6% lead and 13.4% sulfur<\/a>. In some cases, it may contain a significant amount of silver in place of the lead. Also, this lead sulfide mineral may incorporate traces of antimony<\/a>, bismuth<\/a>, zinc, cadmium<\/a>, arsenic<\/a>, and copper in its structure.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The smelting process of galena is a relatively easy one. Namely, if galena containing rock is exposed to fire, the pure lead would remain in the ashes of the mineral. This heavy metal can also be obtained through the recycling process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The world\u2019s largest lead-producing countries are China, Australia, United States, Peru, Russia, Mexico, and India.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lead in Everyday Life<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Known since ancient times, lead has a wide application in many industries and manufacturing processes of many everyday products in our times, too. However, due to its toxicity and negative effect upon our environment, it\u2019s been gradually phased out of use.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, this chemical element finds use in the following instances:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n