Boron

My Nucleus contains 5 protons and 6 neutrons. My atomic weight is 10.81. I have 2 isotopes. It occurs naturally as 80% B11 and 20% B10.	I have 5 electrons in my electron cloud. Its electronic configuration is 1s2, 2s2, 2sp. It only has 3 electrons to work with, which means it does not hydrate.	I am a metalloid. Boron has properties which are borderline between metals and non-metals. It is a semiconductor rather than a metallic conductor. Chemically it is closer to silicon than to aluminium, gallium, indium, and thallium. At its standard state it is 298K and the color of it is usually black.
My Home Boron is not found freely in nature. It occurs usually in orthoboric acid in some volcanic spring waters and as borates and colemantie. It is interesting as its natures own version of "fiber optics". Boron is found in a variet of similiar minerals all related to borox.	I am Borax! Borax is a somewhat generic name used to describe a number of closely related minerals or chemical compounds. It is an important boron compound. It is a soft crystal that dissolves in water. It is used widely in detergents, water softeners, soaps, etc. The structure of Borax:	My Compounds (My Friends!) In compounds of boron (where known), the most common oxidation numbers of boron are: 3. Hydrade is one of my friends. It is used to indicate compounds of the type MxHy and not necessarily to indicate that any compounds listed behave as hydrides chemically. Fluorides, chlorides, bromides, and oxides, are some more of my friends.
My Story Boron comes from the Arabic word "buraq" and the persian word "burah". I was discovered by Sir Humphry Davy, Louis Gay Lussac. I was discovered in England France, in 1808. Boron compounds have been known for thousands of years, but the element was not seperated til 1808. This was accomplised through the reaction of boric acid with potassium. They produced metallic potassium by electrolysis, and then reduced it to use borates to impure boron. The first pure boron was produced by Weintrab in 1909.	My Jobs Boron is used in many ways. It is used in pyrotechnic flares and rockets. They are used in production of enamels for covering steel of refrigerators, washing machines, etc. Boric acid is also used in North America for the control of cockroaches, silverfish, ants, fleas, and other insects.

boron7	Latest page update: made by boron7 , Oct 22 2006, 2:43 AM EDT (about this update About This Update Edited by boron7 70 words added 27 words deleted 5 images added view changes - complete history)
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