8GERMANIUM

Germanium has an atomic number of 32

PROPERTIES OF GERMANIUM
This is a greyish white metalloid, it is lustrous hard and brittle. . It exists as
solid at room temperature. Pure Germanium is a semi conductor with an
appearance similar to silicon . The physical and chemical properties of
Germanium resemble more to silicon. It is stable in air and water. It does not
react with acid and alkalis except nitric acid. The melting point of germanium is
938.25°C and its boiling point is 2833°C. It has a density of 5.323 per cubic
centimetre.

OCCURENCE OF GERMANIUM
Germanium is not a much abundant element, it is mostly present in minerals
and ores. Argyrodite which is a sulfide of silver and germanium, germanite
containing 8% germanium. The major germanium is obtained as a by-product
of the mining of sphalerite, coal, and other ores.

USES OF GERMANIUM
 The major use of germanium is in making wide camera lenses and
lenses of microscopes. It is because it has a high refractive index
and dispersion. Germanium oxide is used for this purpose.
 As said earlier Germanium is a semi conductor and it is doped
with gallium and arsenic to enhance its semiconductor properties.
This doped germanium is used in making transistors, electronic
circuits, etc.
  Germanium is used in infrared spectroscopes, infrared optical
instruments, and detectors.
 Germanium is alloyed with other elements and used in fluorescent
lamps.
 Germanium is also used as a catalyst in various industries.

ISOTOPES OF GERMANIUM
Almost 30 isotopes of Germanium are known from mass ranging from Ge- 60
to Ge- 89. There are five naturally occurring stable isotopes of germanium.
These are
 70Ge with 21.2% abundance,
 72Ge with 27.7%,
 73Ge with 7.7%,
 76Ge with 7.4% and
 74Ge which is highly abundant with 35.9 percent.

So, there is no known significant role of germanium in livings. It is non-toxic.

But some studies show its effectiveness against bacteria. Therefore, scientists
are studying germanium on its use in pharmaceutics.