A Visual Encyclopedia of the Periodic Table

130

The Boron Group

Forms

Boron

B

5

5 5 6

State: Solid

Discovery: 1808

Some boron compounds are among the

toughest artificial substances on Earth, with

only diamond being harder. This element is

a very hard material and becomes even harder

when made to react with carbon or nitrogen. Pure

boron can be extracted from various minerals,

including ulexite and kernite. The demand for

this element was once so high that people moved

to live in the extreme heat of Death Valley, USA,

to work in boron mines there. Compounds of

boron in soil are essential for plants to grow

healthily. We use boron in our homes every day.

This transluscent mineral

is found in dried lakes.

This is a

colourless

form of a

compound

of sodium

and boron.

Colemanite

U lexite

Boron-deficient

corn does not

grow properly.

Corn

Kernite

This metal

is dark and

slightly shiny.

of^ p

ure^ boron

Boron-rich corn

La

bora

tory^ sampl

e

130-131_Boron.indd 130 02/12/16 6:53 pm