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Understanding the element
Aluminium (Al) is chemical element 13. It belongs to the post-transition metals, and its reference state at room temperature is a solid. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
Where do we encounter it?
In practice, it turns up most often in packaging, aerospace and power lines.
packagingaerospacepower lines
Standard atomic weight26.9815384(3)
What its position in the table tells us
Aluminium sits in period 3, group 13 and the P block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Aluminium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Aluminium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses