Scandium facts for kids

Scandium is a special metal, like a building block of everything around us! It's chemical element number 21 on the periodic table, and its symbol is Sc. Imagine a giant chart of all the different types of atoms – that's the periodic table, and Scandium has its own spot there.

Parts of the MiG-29 are made from Al-Sc alloy.

What is Scandium?

Scandium is a type of metal called a transition metal. These metals are known for being strong and useful in many ways. Scandium is also called a "rare earth metal." This doesn't mean it's super rare on Earth, but it's usually found in very small amounts mixed with other minerals. Because of this, getting pure scandium can be quite expensive.

When scandium is pure, it's very shiny. But it's also very reactive. This means it easily combines with other elements, like the oxygen in the air. When it reacts with oxygen, its shiny surface quickly turns a dull gray.

Is Scandium Dangerous?

You might be wondering if scandium is dangerous. The good news is, it's not considered very harmful to people. Since there isn't a lot of it found freely in nature, we don't usually come into contact with enough of it to cause any problems.

What is Scandium Used For?

Even though it's not super common, scandium has some interesting uses! One of its main jobs is in special Mercury-vapor lamps. These lamps are super bright and are often used to light up big places like Stadiums or sports arenas. The scandium helps make the light even brighter and more natural-looking.

Scandium is also used in some very strong and lightweight metal mixes, called alloys. For example, it can be mixed with aluminium to make alloys that are used in things like high-performance sports equipment or even parts of airplanes, like the MiG-29 jet. These alloys are strong but light, which is very important for things that need to move fast or fly.

Related pages

• Periodic table
• List of common elements