Zinc

chemistry · metals · periodic table

A shiny metal. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal that looks blue-white when it's clean and shiny, but it can dull over time when it reacts with air.

Found everywhere. Zinc is the 24th most abundant element in Earth's crust, and the biggest supplies come from China, Peru, and Australia.

Super stable element. Zinc has five stable versions of itself called isotopes, and the most common one, Zn-64, makes up almost half of all zinc in nature.

Used for protection. One of zinc's most important jobs is coating steel and iron to stop them from rusting, which is why many buildings and bridges use zinc-coated metal.

Body needs it. Your body uses small amounts of zinc to help your immune system fight off germs and to help you heal when you get a cut or scrape.