🔹 Basic Information

• Element Name: Cadmium
• Discovered By: Friedrich Stromeyer
• Year of Discovery: 1817
• Category: Transition Metal
• Group: 12
• State at Room Temperature: Solid (soft, bluish-white metal) ⚙️

Cadmium is a soft metal often found as a byproduct when mining zinc, lead, or copper.

🔸 Chemical Properties

• Chemical Symbol: Cd
• Atomic Number: 48
• Atomic Mass: ~112.41 u
• Valency: +2
• Electronic Configuration: [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s²

Cadmium is chemically similar to zinc and mercury and is quite reactive with acids.

📘 Basic Things to Know

Cadmium is toxic, meaning it can be harmful to humans and the environment, so it must be handled carefully. It’s mainly used in rechargeable batteries and pigments.

🤔 Interesting Facts

• Cadmium is used in nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries, which were once common in rechargeable devices. 🔋
• It’s used to produce bright yellow, orange, and red pigments for plastics and paints. 🎨
• Despite its usefulness, cadmium exposure can cause serious health problems, including kidney damage. ⚠️
• Cadmium is a byproduct of mining and is often recycled to reduce environmental risks. ♻️

🔧 Common Uses

• Rechargeable Batteries: Used in NiCd batteries for electronics and power tools. 🔋
• Pigments: Produces bright colors for plastics, paints, and ceramics. 🎨
• Coatings: Used to protect metals from corrosion in some industrial applications. 🏭
• Solar Cells: Used in some types of thin-film solar panels. ☀️

📚 Conclusion

Cadmium is a useful but toxic metal that plays a role in batteries and pigments. It’s important to use and recycle it safely to protect health and the environment. For students, cadmium teaches how some elements can be helpful but also require care and responsibility! 🔬⚠️