30 Facts About Lithium

1.

Lithium metal is isolated electrolytically from a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride.

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2.

Lithium is present in biological systems in trace amounts; its functions are uncertain.

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3.

Lithium salts have proven to be useful as a mood stabilizer and antidepressant in the treatment of mental illness such as bipolar disorder.

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4.

Lithium is superconductive below 400 µK at standard pressure and at higher temperatures at very high pressures .

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5.

Lithium is found in brown dwarf substellar objects and certain anomalous orange stars.

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6.

Lithium competes with bivalent magnesium ions, whose ionic radius is approximately that of the lithium ion .

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7.

Lithium is used to decrease the melting temperature of glass and to improve the melting behavior of aluminium oxide in the Hall-Heroult process.

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8.

Lithium reacts with water easily, but with noticeably less vigor than other alkali metals.

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9.

Lithium is one of the few metals that react with nitrogen gas.

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10.

Lithium has a diagonal relationship with magnesium, an element of similar atomic and ionic radius.

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11.

Lithium carbonate has been described as the most important compound of lithium.

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12.

Lithium production has greatly increased since the end of World War II.

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13.

The Lithium Triangle is known for its high-quality salt flats, which include Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni, Chile's Salar de Atacama, and Argentina's Salar de Arizaro.

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14.

Lithium oxide is widely used as a flux for processing silica, reducing the melting point and viscosity of the material and leading to glazes with improved physical properties including low coefficients of thermal expansion.

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15.

Lithium carbonate is generally used in this application because it converts to the oxide upon heating.

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16.

Lithium hydroxide is a strong base and, when heated with a fat, produces a soap made of lithium stearate.

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17.

Lithium soap has the ability to thicken oils, and it is used to manufacture all-purpose, high-temperature lubricating greases.

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18.

Lithium compounds are used as additives to foundry sand for iron casting to reduce veining.

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19.

Lithium has been found effective in assisting the perfection of silicon nano-welds in electronic components for electric batteries and other devices.

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20.

Lithium compounds are used as pyrotechnic colorants and oxidizers in red fireworks and flares.

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21.

Lithium hydroxide absorbs carbon dioxide from the air by forming lithium carbonate, and is preferred over other alkaline hydroxides for its low weight.

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22.

Lithium fluoride is sometimes used in focal lenses of telescopes.

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23.

Lithium hydride containing lithium-6 is used in thermonuclear weapons, where it serves as fuel for the fusion stage of the bomb.

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24.

Lithium-6 is valued as a source material for tritium production and as a neutron absorber in nuclear fusion.

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25.

Lithium deuteride was the fusion fuel of choice in early versions of the hydrogen bomb.

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26.

Lithium fluoride is exceptionally chemically stable and LiF-BeF2 mixtures have low melting points.

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27.

Lithium is used as a source for alpha particles, or helium nuclei.

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28.

Lithium has been researched as a possible treatment for cluster headaches.

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29.

Lithium metal is corrosive and requires special handling to avoid skin contact.

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30.

Lithium is safely stored in non-reactive compounds such as naphtha.

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