Manganese

Symbol: Mn

Atomic Number: 25

Atomic Weight: 54.938

Manganese (atomic number 25, symbol Mn) is a chemical element found in many minerals and as a free element in nature. It is a silvery-gray in color and resembles iron. Manganese is difficult to fuse and very brittle, but it is easy to oxidize. The ions of manganese and the metal itself are paramagnetic.

The element is named for different minerals found in the Greek region Magnesia. In the 18th century, Carl Wilhelm Scheele, a Swedish chemist, used one of them, pyrolusite to produce chlorine. He was aware that this mineral contained an unknown element but was unable to isolate...Read More