Wikijunior:The Elements/Nickel

Shows the position of Nickel on the periodic chart.

Nickel's symbol on the Periodic Table

What does it look, feel, taste, or smell like?

Nickel is a silvery white metal.

How was it discovered?

Nickel was discovered in 1751 in Stockholm, Sweden by a Swedish scientist named Axel Fredric Cronstedt.

Where did its name come from?

Nickel was named after a mischievous German sprite, Nickel, after miners blamed him for being unable to extract any copper from what they thought was copper ore, but which actually contained nickel.

Did You Know?

US nickel coins are only 25% nickel; the other 75% is copper.
Some hooks have a layer of nickel so that they oxidize in a slower rate.

Where is it found?

The largest producers of Nickel are the Philippines, Indonesia, Russia, Australia, and Canada (in that order). It was recently discovered in Nigeria (Dangoma).

What are its uses?

Nickel is used to make nickels. This one is from World War Two

Nickel is found in many coins including, of course, nickels.

Is it dangerous?

Nickel compounds are classified as human carcinogens. Nickel can cause allergic reactions from skin contact. This is sometimes a problem with earrings for pierced ears, but many earrings are now made without nickel for this reason.

References

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