Specific Heat of Aluminum: Exploring the Characteristics and Applications of the Element

Aluminum is a lightweight, silver-colored metal that can be formed into almost any shape. It can be rolled into thick plates for armored tanks or into thin foil for chewing gum wrappers. It may be drawn into wire or made into cans. Aluminum does not rust, and it resists wear from weather and chemicals. Aluminum is called aluminium in English-speaking countries outside the United States. Its atomic number is 13 and its atomic weight is 26.9815.

Pure aluminum, known as Al on the periodic scale, is soft and has little strength. For this reason, aluminum producers almost always blend it with small amounts of copper, magnesium, zinc, and other elements to form aluminum alloys. The added elements give aluminum strength and other properties that make it one of the most useful of all metals. In fact, the world uses more aluminum than any other metal except iron and steel.

The largest share of aluminum alloy production goes to the construction industry for use in such items as window frames, gutters, and the roofs and sides of buildings. Manufacturers of transportation equipment use huge amounts of aluminum in airplanes, automobiles, boats, railroad cars, and trucks. The packaging industry makes beverage cans, bottle caps, foil pouches, frozen food trays, and other items of aluminum. Aluminum is used in much electrical equipment, including light bulbs, power lines, and telephone wires. Thousands of other products also contain aluminum. These products include air conditioners, cookware, golf clubs, knitting needles, lawn furniture, license plates, paints, refrigerators, rocket fuel, toasters, and zippers.