Bismuth
🌈 In Your World
Bismuth is a fascinating heavy metal known for its beautiful, staircase-like crystals with an iridescent, rainbow-colored oxide tarnish. It's remarkably non-toxic for a heavy metal; in fact, its compounds are the active ingredient in stomach-soothing remedies like Pepto-Bismol. Because it's a safe alternative to lead, it's used in lead-free solders, shotgun pellets, and plumbing fixtures.
📖 The Discovery Story
Bismuth was known to ancient civilizations but was often confused with lead and tin. It wasn't until 1753 that French chemist Claude François Geoffroy demonstrated that it was a distinct element. The name "bismuth" is believed to come from the old German words weisse masse or wismuth, meaning "white mass," describing the appearance of its oxide.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 271.4 °C / 520.5 °F |
| Boiling Point | 1564 °C / 2847 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f¹⁴5d¹⁰6s²6p³ |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.0000085% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Bismuth is considered one of the least toxic heavy metals, often called the "green" heavy metal. Its low toxicity allows it to be used in medicines and as a safe replacement for lead in many applications. While technically radioactive, its only primordial isotope has a half-life over a billion times the estimated age of the universe, making it stable for all practical purposes.