cadmium

/'kædmiəm/

Thân thiện

A scientist carefully handles a cadmium sample in the laboratory.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A chemical element: Cadmium is a soft, bluish-white, toxic metallic element that is ductile and malleable. It has the atomic number 48 and the symbol Cd.
   • Occurrence: It is commonly found in association with zinc ores.

Usage

• Cadmium is primarily used in industrial contexts, such as in batteries (especially nickel-cadmium batteries), pigments, and metal plating.
• It is a noun and is typically used in scientific, industrial, or environmental discussions.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The factory's waste contained high levels of cadmium, which polluted the local river.
  • Nickel-cadmium batteries were once very common in portable electronics.
  • Cadmium yellow is a pigment known for its bright color but also for its toxicity.

Advanced Usage

• "Cadmium plating": A process of electroplating a thin layer of cadmium onto a metal object to provide corrosion resistance.
  • The aircraft components received cadmium plating for protection against rust.
• "Cadmium poisoning": A medical condition caused by excessive exposure to cadmium, which can lead to kidney and bone damage.
  • Workers in the battery plant were screened regularly for signs of cadmium poisoning.

Variants and Related Words

• Cadmium sulfide (CdS): A chemical compound used as a yellow pigment and in some solar cells.
• Cadmium telluride (CdTe): A compound used in thin-film solar panels.

Synonyms

• Element 48: Referring to its atomic number.
• Metallic element: A general category to which it belongs. (Note: This is a very broad synonym.)

Different Meanings

• Cadmium almost exclusively refers to the chemical element. It does not have common idiomatic or figurative meanings outside of scientific terminology.

Notes on Usage

• Cadmium is a countable noun when referring to the element in general ("Cadmium is toxic") and can be uncountable when referring to it as a substance ("a sample of cadmium").
• Due to its toxicity, the word is often used in contexts discussing environmental pollution, workplace safety, and health regulations.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a soft bluish-white ductile malleable toxic bivalent metallic element; occurs in association with zinc ores

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Cd
• atomic number 48