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Understanding the element
Zirconium (Zr) is chemical element 40. It belongs to the 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 nuclear reactors, ceramics and alloys.
nuclear reactorsceramicsalloys
Standard atomic weight91.222(3)
What its position in the table tells us
Zirconium sits in period 5, group 4 and the D block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Zirconium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Zirconium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses