lead
Sign in to saveLead () is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal, denser than most common materials. Lead is soft, malleable, and has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut or melted, it appears shiny silvery with a bluish tint, but tarnishes to dull gray on exposure to air. Lead has the highest atomic number of any stable element, and three of its isotopes are endpoints of major nuclear decay chains of heavier elements.
AI overview
Lead is a heavy metal element (symbol Pb) that is soft, malleable, and has a relatively low melting point, appearing silvery-blue when freshly cut but tarnishing to gray in air. It matters scientifically because it has the highest atomic number of any stable element and serves as the endpoint of major nuclear decay chains from heavier elements.
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Article
43 sectionsContents
- Physical properties
- Atomic
- Bulk
- Isotopes
- Chemistry
- Inorganic compounds
- Lead(II)
- Lead(IV)
- Other oxidation states
- Organolead
- Origin and occurrence
- In space
- On Earth
- Etymology
- History
- Production
- Primary
- Two-stage process
- Direct process
- Alternatives
- Secondary
- Applications
- Elemental form
- Batteries
- Coating for cables
- Compounds
- Historical Preservation
- Biological effects
- Toxicity
- Effects
- Exposure sources
- Lead in foods
- Lead in plastic toys
- Treatment
- Disease burden
- Environmental effects
- Restriction and remediation
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- Further reading
- External links
Lead () is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal, denser than most common materials. Lead is soft, malleable, and has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut or melted, it appears shiny silvery with a bluish tint, but tarnishes to dull gray on exposure to air. Lead has the highest atomic number of any stable element, and three of its isotopes are endpoints of major nuclear decay chains of heavier elements.
Lead is a relatively unreactive post-transition metal. Its weak metallic character is shown by its amphoteric behavior: lead and lead oxides react with both acids and bases, and it tends to form covalent bonds. Lead compounds usually occur in the +2 oxidation state rather than the +4 state common in lighter members of the carbon group, with exceptions mostly limited to organolead compounds. Like the lighter members of the group, lead can bond with itself, forming chains and polyhedral structures.