What is "zinc"

Zinc \Zinc\ (z[i^][ng]k), n. [G. zink, probably akin to zinn tin: cf. F. zinc, from the German. Cf. Tin.] (Chem.) An abundant element of the magnesium-cadmium group, extracted principally from the minerals zinc blende, smithsonite, calamine, and franklinite, as an easily fusible bluish white metal, which is malleable, especially when heated. It is not easily oxidized in moist air, and hence is used for sheeting, coating galvanized iron, etc. It is used in making brass, britannia, and other alloys, and is also largely consumed in electric batteries. Symbol Zn. Atomic number 30. Atomic weight 65.38. [Formerly written also zink.]

Butter of zinc (Old Chem.), zinc chloride, ZnCl2, a deliquescent white waxy or oily substance.

Oxide of zinc. (Chem.) See Zinc oxide, below.

Zinc amine (Chem.), a white amorphous substance, Zn(NH2)2, obtained by the action of ammonia on zinc ethyl; -- called also zinc amide.

Zinc amyle (Chem.), a colorless, transparent liquid, composed of zinc and amyle, which, when exposed to the atmosphere, emits fumes, and absorbs oxygen with rapidity.

Zinc blende [cf. G. zinkblende] (Min.), a native zinc sulphide. See Blende, n. (a) .

Zinc bloom [cf. G. zinkblumen flowers of zinc, oxide of zinc] (Min.), hydrous carbonate of zinc, usually occurring in white earthy incrustations; -- called also hydrozincite.

Zinc ethyl (Chem.), a colorless, transparent, poisonous liquid, composed of zinc and ethyl, which takes fire spontaneously on exposure to the atmosphere.

Zinc green, a green pigment consisting of zinc and cobalt oxides; -- called also Rinmann's green.

Zinc methyl (Chem.), a colorless mobile liquid Zn(CH3)2, produced by the action of methyl iodide on a zinc sodium alloy. It has a disagreeable odor, and is spontaneously inflammable in the air. It has been of great importance in the synthesis of organic compounds, and is the type of a large series of similar compounds, as zinc ethyl, zinc amyle, etc.

Zinc oxide (Chem.), the oxide of zinc, ZnO, forming a light fluffy sublimate when zinc is burned; -- called also flowers of zinc, philosopher's wool, nihil album, etc. The impure oxide produced by burning the metal, roasting its ores, or in melting brass, is called also pompholyx, and tutty.

Zinc spinel (Min.), a mineral, related to spinel, consisting essentially of the oxides of zinc and aluminium; gahnite.

Zinc vitriol (Chem.), zinc sulphate. See White vitriol, under Vitriol.

Zinc white, a white powder consisting of zinc oxide, used as a pigment.

Zinc \Zinc\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Zincked or Zinced; p. pr. & vb. n. Zincking or Zincing.] To coat with zinc; to galvanize.

1650s, zinke, from German Zink, perhaps related to Zinke "prong, point;" said to have been used first by Paracelsus (c.1526) on analogy of the form of its crystals after smelting. Zinke is from Old High German zint "a point, jag," from Proto-Germanic *teng- "tine" (cognates: Old Norse tindr "point, top, summit," Old English tind "prong, spike"), from PIE *denk- "to bite." Spelling with -c- is from 1813, from French influence.

n. a chemical element (''symbol'' Zn) with an atomic number of 30. vb. 1 (context rare English) To electroplate with zinc. 2 (context rare English) To coat with sunblock incorporating zinc oxide.

n. a bluish-white lustrous metallic element; brittle at ordinary temperatures but malleable when heated; used in a wide variety of alloys and in galvanizing iron; it occurs as zinc sulphide in zinc blende [syn: Zn, atomic number 30]

Zinc is a metallic chemical element. Zinc may also refer to:

Zinc (1820–1840) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare, which in 1818 became the third filly to win both the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse and the Oaks at Epsom Downs Racecourse. As a three-year-old in 1823 she won three of her five starts, with her defeats coming against the classic-winning colts Nicolo and Emilius. She won both her races in 1824 but failed to win as a five-year-old in 1825 and was retired from racing.

Zinc is a chemical element with symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. In some respects zinc is chemically similar to magnesium: the ion is of similar size and the only common oxidation state is +2. Zinc is the 24th most abundant element in Earth's crust and has five stable isotopes. The most common zinc ore is sphalerite (zinc blende), a zinc sulfide mineral. The largest workable lodes are in Australia, Asia, and the United States. Zinc is refined by froth flotation of the ore, roasting, and final extraction using electricity ( electrowinning).

Brass, an alloy of copper and zinc in various proportions, was used as early as the third millennium BC in the Aegean, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kalmykia, Turkmenistan and Georgia, and the second millennium BC in West India, Uzbekistan, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Israel ( Judea). Zinc metal was not produced on a large scale until the 12th century in India and was unknown to Europe until the end of the 16th century. The mines of Rajasthan have given definite evidence of zinc production going back to the 6th century BC. To date, the oldest evidence of pure zinc comes from Zawar, in Rajasthan, as early as the 9th century AD when a distillation process was employed to make pure zinc. Alchemists burned zinc in air to form what they called " philosopher's wool" or "white snow".

The element was probably named by the alchemist Paracelsus after the German word Zinke (prong, tooth). German chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf is credited with discovering pure metallic zinc in 1746. Work by Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta uncovered the electrochemical properties of zinc by 1800. Corrosion-resistant zinc plating of iron ( hot-dip galvanizing) is the major application for zinc. Other applications are in electrical batteries, small non-structural castings, and alloys such as brass. A variety of zinc compounds are commonly used, such as zinc carbonate and zinc gluconate (as dietary supplements), zinc chloride (in deodorants), zinc pyrithione (anti- dandruff shampoos), zinc sulfide (in luminescent paints), and zinc methyl or zinc diethyl in the organic laboratory.

Zinc is an essential mineral perceived by the public today as being of "exceptional biologic and public health importance", especially regarding prenatal and postnatal development. Zinc deficiency affects about two billion people in the developing world and is associated with many diseases. In children, deficiency causes growth retardation, delayed sexual maturation, infection susceptibility, and diarrhea. Enzymes with a zinc atom in the reactive center are widespread in biochemistry, such as alcohol dehydrogenase in humans. Consumption of excess zinc can cause ataxia, lethargy and copper deficiency.

Zinc were an Australian three piece rock pop band, composed of three singer-songwriters: Adam Ray and the O'Shea brothers: John and Mark they formed in 2002. In 2004 the group supported a national tour by Shannon Noll. Their debut single, "The Morning After", was released on WEA Records and reached No. 22 on the ARIA Singles Chart in July 2004. Their debut album, Making Sense of Madness, recorded with Charles Fisher, was released on 6 June 2005. In mid-2005 they supported United States pop group, Hanson, on the Australian leg of their Live and Electric Tour. By 2007 the trio had disbanded.