Cadmium

Symbol: Cd

Atomic Number: 48

Atomic Weight: 112.41

Cadmium (atomic number 48, symbol Cd) is a chemical element similar to mercury and zinc, which are stable metals. It is a blue-white, soft metal similar to mercury in that it has a lower melting point than the group of transition metals. Being a soft metal, cadmium can be cut with a knife, and is soluble in acids. However, it is not soluble in alkalis and tarnishes in air. Because cadmium does not have partly filled f or d electron shells in common oxidation or elemental states, it is not considered a transition metal in every case. In the...Read More