Who Discovered Nickel
Nickel is a silvery-white metal with a slight golden tinge. But who discovered nickel? This post will answer that question and then tell you some interesting facts about nickel.
Who Discovered Nickel?
Ores of nickel are easily mistaken for ores of silver. Therefore, unintentional use of nickel can be found from about 3500 BC. From that time, nickel appeared in many different cultures. However, it wasn’t until 1751 that nickel was identified as a unique element. Axel Fredrik Cronstedt was trying to extract copper from kupfernickel. However, he instead obtained a white metal that he called nickel. It is amazing that people unintentionally used nickel for years and then it was unintentionally obtained and identified as a unique element!
Summary: Axel Fredrik Cronstedt first discovered nickel in 1751
Interesting Facts About Nickel
- Many people are sensitive to nickel. If they come into contact with nickel their skins becomes red and itchy. Most earrings now contain no nickel.
- There are 5 stable isotopes of nickel. Of these, nickel-58 is the most abundant.
- Nickel is one of only four elements that is magnetic at room temperature.
- It is believed that most of the nickel on Earth is located in the Earth’s core.
- Nickel carbonyl is explosive in air.
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