Quick answerAluminium (Al) is a post-transition metal with atomic number 13 and an atomic mass of 26.982 (2023), in group 13, period 3. It was discovered by Hans Christian Ørsted in 1825. It is used for aircraft and vehicle construction and food packaging and cans. Its electron configuration is [Ne] 3s2 3p1.
Aluminium is the most abundant metal in Earth's crust, yet it stayed rarer than gold until the 1880s because it was so hard to extract. Today it wraps food, builds aeroplanes, and frames skyscrapers, light, strong, and immune to rust. Recycling it takes just 5% of the energy needed to make it new, so most aluminium ever produced is still in use.
Key facts
| Symbol | Al |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 13 |
| Atomic mass | 26.982 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | post-transition metal |
| Group | 13 |
| Period | 3 |
| Block | p-block |
| Electron configuration | [Ne] 3s2 3p1 |
| Discovered | Hans Christian Ørsted, 1825 |
| Uses | aircraft and vehicle construction, food packaging and cans, window frames and building, power transmission lines, kitchen foil and cookware |
Overview
Aluminium is the most abundant metal in Earth's crust, yet it stayed rarer than gold until the 1880s because it was so hard to extract from its ore. It has atomic number 13, an atomic mass of 26.982, and the electron configuration [Ne] 3s2 3p1, and it sits in group 13, period 3 of the periodic table. Hans Christian Ørsted first isolated it in 1825, and for decades it was a precious metal: Napoleon III is said to have served honoured guests on aluminium plates while lesser guests ate off gold. The Hall-Héroult process of 1886 changed everything, using electricity to smelt aluminium from bauxite ore, and the metal became cheap and common. Today it wraps food in foil and cans, builds aeroplanes, cars and window frames, and carries electricity in overhead power lines, because it is light, strong and immune to rust. It also goes into kitchen cookware, drinks cans and building cladding. Recycling aluminium takes just 5% of the energy needed to make it new, so most of the aluminium ever produced is still in use, and a drinks can you recycle today could be back on a shelf within weeks.
Frequently asked questions
What is aluminium used for?
Aluminium is used in aircraft, cars and window frames, in food packaging such as cans and kitchen foil, and in overhead power lines. It is light, strong and does not rust, which makes it ideal where weight matters. It also goes into cookware, building cladding and drink cans, and it is one of the most recycled materials on Earth.
What is the symbol for aluminium?
The chemical symbol for aluminium is Al, from its name, which comes from alum, the mineral salt it was first isolated from. It has atomic number 13 and a standard atomic mass of 26.982, and it sits in group 13 and period 3. Hans Christian Ørsted first isolated it in 1825, when it was still rarer than gold.
What is the atomic number of aluminium?
Aluminium has atomic number 13, so it is the thirteenth element in the periodic table. Its atom holds thirteen protons and thirteen electrons, and its standard atomic mass is 26.982. It is a post-transition metal in group 13 and period 3, with the electron configuration [Ne] 3s2 3p1, three electrons in its outer shell.
Is aluminium a metal?
Yes, aluminium is a metal, a post-transition metal in group 13 of the periodic table. It is silvery-white, light and strong, and it does not rust, because a thin layer of aluminium oxide protects it. It is the most abundant metal in Earth's crust, though it was rarer than gold until cheap smelting arrived in 1886.
Why is aluminium good for recycling?
Aluminium is ideal for recycling because melting it down takes just 5% of the energy needed to make it new from bauxite ore, and it loses none of its quality in the process. Most of the aluminium ever produced is still in use, and a recycled drinks can can be back on a shop shelf within weeks.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Gallium (Ga) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 31
- Indium (In) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 49
- Tin (Sn) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 50
- Thallium (Tl) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 81
- Lead (Pb) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 82
- Bismuth (Bi) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 83
- Polonium (Po) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 84
- Nihonium (Nh) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 113
- Flerovium (Fl) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 114
- Moscovium (Mc) — another post-transition metal, atomic number 115
- All post-transition metal elements — on the periodic table
Sources & last updated
- CIAAW — Standard Atomic Weights
- PubChem Periodic Table
- Wikipedia — Timeline of chemical element discoveries
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.