Lithium is a rare element that was discovered by Johan August Arfvedson in 1817 at Stockholm, Sweden. This element gets in name from “lithos” which in Greek means stone, this is due to the fact that its trace is present in almost all rocks and also because it was discovered from a mineral source. Lithium is in group one and second period of the periodic table which means that it has only one electron on its outermost shell with the atomic number of 3 and atomic mass of 6.941 g/mol "Lithium: The Essentials." therefore meaning it has 3 protons, 3 electrons and 4 neutrons. Being an alkali metal, lithium is a soft, flammable, highly reactive metal, it also has the lowest density from all the metals in group one, it has a density that is half of water "Lithium." Due to these properties, humans have utilised lithium in batteries, nuclear fusion reactions and thermonuclear weapons. Also, it is understood to be non-vital in human biological processes, although it is used in many drug treatments due to its positive effects on the human brain. "Lithium Toxicity: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia."
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Although lithium does not naturally occur in element form due to its high reactivity. In keeping with its name, lithium forms a minor part with igneous rocks and has most concentration in granite. Another significant mineral of lithium is lepidolite and a newer source is hectoride clay Lithium is the 25th most abundant element. Argentina, Bolivia and Chile are the main sources for lithium, Bilivia’s mega salt flat, the Salar de Uyni has 100 million tons of lithium/ 55% of the total, while Chile’s Atacama Salar has 29% and Argentina’s Salar fields have the remaining 16%
Abundance of Lithium % in Universe- 6×10-7% % in Sun-6×10-9% % in Meteorites-0.00017% % in Earth's Crust-0.0017% % in Oceans-0.000018% % in Humans-3×10-6% "Lithium." |
There are two naturally occurring isotopes of lithium, lithium-6 and and lithium-7, they do not have any commercial application "Isotopes of Lithium." There are many compounds of lithium, each used for different purposes. Some of these compounds are:
Li-MnO2 (“CR”) - This is the most common compound used in batteries, about 80% of lithium battery market. It uses cheap materials, provides long-life and is used for low cost applications. It can also give high pulse currents. Li-Ag2V4O11/Li-SVO, Li-CSVO - These compounds are used in medical applications i.e. implantable defibrillators. It is also used in electronics such as emergency locator transmitters. Li/Al-MnO2 - Used for rechargeable batteries. "Lithium Battery." |