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Understanding the element
Bismuth (Bi) is chemical element 83. 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 medical applications, cosmetics and alloys.
medical applicationscosmeticsalloys
Standard atomic weight208.98040(1)
What its position in the table tells us
Bismuth sits in period 6, group 15 and the P block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Bismuth has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Bismuth has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses