lithium

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lithium (symbol Li) Common, silvery metallic element, one of the alkali metals, first isolated in 1817. Ores include lepidolite and spodumene. Chemically, it is similar to sodium. Lithium, the lightest of all metals, is used in alloys, glasses and glazes; its salts are used in medicine. Properties at.no. 3; r.a.m. 6.941; r.d. 0.534; m.p. 180.5°C (356.9°F); b.p. 1347°C (2456.6°F); most stable isotope Li7 (92.58%).

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