8 Astonishing Facts about Metallurgy That You Should Know
Science students have to go through a tormenting drill of studying monotonously scripted Chemistry lessons. One out of those boring lessons is ‘Ores and Metallurgy’.
I’m sure the none of us liked this chapter, all thanks to the way it was presented to us. But keeping the lesson aside, Metallurgy is one unexplored domain which needs some attention. Why?
I am presenting here 8 astonishing facts about metallurgy which is sure to get you excited and help you comprehend it better.
So without further ado, let’s take a ride through our ‘tour de metallurgy’.
- The biggest gold nugget.
The biggest gold nugget, the Welcome Stranger, weighs 90 kilograms and was unearthed from Australia in 1869.
2. The name ‘Copper’ stems from an island.
Copper gets its name from the Cyprus island.
3. This makes spiders blood blue.
Human blood is red because of iron, but blood in spiders, octopus and the Vulcan Spock is rich in copper.
4. The world’s tallest monument is made of steel.
Surprised, right?. The mastermind behind this wonder, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, made the Statue of Liberty from steel so that it could withstand the strong winds in New York City.
5. Aluminium production consumes way too much energy.
Producing aluminium from its raw material consumes 95% more energy than recycling it. Another advantage of recycling aluminum is that it produces only 5% of greenhouse emissions.
6. This is used in atomic clocks.
Rubidium got its name from the Latin word, rubrum, which means red, as it is not only red in colour but also produces a red flame. It is that very metal which is used in making atomic clocks.
7. This metal gave a country its name.
You will be surprised to know that Argentina, the country where Lionel Messi comes from, gets its name from the Latin word argentum, which means silver.
8. Exposure to this metal can cause neurological impairment.
Manganism or manganese poisoning is a neurological and psychiatric impairment caused by chronic exposure to manganese.
If you’re intrigued by these facts, then I’m sure that you’ll love the news that I’m going to share next.
COMPOSIT, your one-stop destination to explore metallurgy to the CORE.
To calm your metallurgical curiosity, Congress of Metallurgical Professionals involving Students, Industry, and Teachers (COMPOSIT), the annual departmental fest of IIT Kharagpur (KGP) is here. Organised by the Metallurgical Department of IIT KGP, the fest is being held from 23 to 25 March. For more details, log on to their official website.