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Understanding the element
Boron (B) is chemical element 5. It belongs to the metalloids, 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 borosilicate glass, glass fibre and plant nutrition.
borosilicate glassglass fibreplant nutrition
Standard atomic weight[10.806, 10.821]
What its position in the table tells us
Boron sits in period 2, 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
Boron has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Boron has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses