Interesting facts about aluminium

Among its many advantages, aluminium has a low density, is non-toxic, has excellent thermal conductivity, and can be cast, machined, and shaped easily. Additionally, it is non-magnetic and non-sparking. As a metal, it is the second most malleable and the sixth most ductile. Some of the interesting facts about the metal aluminium are as follows:

• Aluminium is the most abundant element on Earth’s crust after oxygen and silicon. By mass, it represents 8.1% of the earth's crust. In1825, the Danish physicist and chemist Hans Christian Ørsted discovered aluminium.
• Aluminium is ideal for aircraft manufacture due to its lightweight and strength. The weight of aluminium is about 1/3rd of steel. The Wright brothers made their biplane’s engine fitted with cast aluminium crankcase, as no manufacturer could provide that light engine case to take the desired horsepower.
• Aluminium is also known as a green metal. Recycling aluminium requires only 5% of the energy against the traditional way of aluminium production, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). You can run your TV for three hours on the energy you save by recycling a single soda can made from aluminium.
• The average composition of the lunar surface by weight has roughly 3% aluminium.
• In fine powder or dust form, aluminium can be highly combustible when it reacts with other chemicals. It is used to produce silver and white coloured fireworks or sparklers. Solid rocket boosters (SRB), including the engines on the space shuttle and model rockets, use aluminium as their primary fuel.
• NASA's Orion spacecraft built for deep space exploration is mostly made up of aluminium alloys.
• In the mid-19th century, aluminium was known as the "Metal of Kings" and was more precious than gold. In fact, Napoleon III served high-status guests’ food on aluminium plates, while normal guests had theirs served on plates of gold and silver.
• About 75% of all aluminium ever made is still in use, thanks to recycling. An aluminium beverage can take as little as 60 days to return as a new can after recycling.
• If you've been lucky to fly on a Boeing-747, you were travelling within 147,000 pounds (66,150 kg) of high-strength aluminium!
• Aluminium provides unmatched barrier properties and can keep out moisture, bacteria, microorganisms, light, oxygen, and other gases. It is for this reason that aluminium foil is used in pharmaceutical packaging.
• The construction of the Washington Monument was accomplished with the placing of an 8.9 inch tall, 100-ounce pyramid of solid aluminium atop the capstone. Choosing aluminium for the top of the monument was a good decision - it would protect against lightning, it would be sturdy, wouldn't tarnish, and it matched the colour of the monument's marble.
• With the advent of World War II, the aluminium market took on a new look, with aviation, tanks, and automotive engines taking centre stage. “If you give me 30 thousand tonnes of aluminium, then I will win the war”, wrote Joseph Stalin in 1941 to Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the USA.
• In most modern telescopes, the primary mirror is made from a solid glass cylinder whose front surface has been ground into a sphere or a parabolic shape. Aluminium is vacuum deposited onto a mirror, producing a highly reflective first surface mirror.

The above are some of the amazing facts about metal aluminium. Hope this has been great learning, please be remembered these are only a few facts which we have accumulated but not the end of it.