What Is The Melting Point Of Metals

Resource Description

What Is The Melting Point Of Metals

Metals and alloys are an irreplaceable basis for foundry and jewelry production, forging, and many other areas. No matter what a person does with metal (whatever process it is), for correct work, they need to know at what temperature one or another metal melts.

Each metal and alloy has its own unique physical and chemical properties, including its melting point. When melting, the metal goes from one state to another, namely, from a solid crystalline state to a liquid one. To melt the metal, you need to heat it to the required temperature - this process is called the melting point.

What Does The Melting Point Depend On?

For different substances, the temperature at which the structure is completely rebuilt to a liquid state is different. If we take into account metals and alloys, then it is worth noting the following point. Metals are not often found in their pure form. The temperature directly depends on its composition. As an example, let us indicate tin, to which other substances (for example, silver) can be added. Impurities make the material more or less resistant to heat. It should be noted that the melting point of a metal is an important property of a substance. An example of this is aviation equipment.

External & Internal Heating

The process of heating metals can be both external and internal. The first takes place in a furnace, and for the second, resistive heating is used, passing electricity, or induction heating.

The impact is almost the same. When heated, the amplitude of molecular vibrations increases. Structural lattice defects are formed, which are accompanied by the breaking of interatomic bonds. Melting is meant by the process of destruction of the lattice and the accumulation of such defects.

Melting & Boiling Temperatures

Melting and boiling are not the same things. The point of transition of a substance from a solid to a liquid state is often called the melting point of the metal. In the molten state, the molecules do not have a definite arrangement, but the attraction holds them side by side; in the liquid form, the crystalline body saves volume but loses its form.

During boiling, the volume is lost, the molecules interact very weakly, move chaotically in different directions, and detach from the surface. A boiling point is a process in which the pressure of a metal vapor is equal to the pressure of the external environment.

Melting Point

Tungsten has the highest melting point
of 6188 °F or 3420 °C

Melting Point

Mercury has the lowest melting point
of -37.9 °F or -38.9 °C

Different substances have different melting points. Theoretically, metals are divided into:

Low-Melting Metals and Alloys (up to 1112°F or 600 °C)

Item name Latin designation Temperatures
Melting °F Melting °C Boiling °F Boiling °C
Mercury Hg -37.9 -38.9 674.114 356.73
Lithium Li 64.5 18.05 2447.6 1342
Cesium Cs 83.12 28.4 1233.5 667.5
Rubidium Rd 102.74 39.3 1270.4 688
Potassium K 146.5 63.6 1398.2 759
Sodium Na 208.04 97.8 1621.4 883
Indium In 313.88 156.6 3761.6 2072
Tin Sn 449.6 232 4712 2600
Polonium Po 489.2 254 1763.6 962
Bismuth Bi 520.52 271.4 2847.2 1564
Thallium Tl 579.2 304 2683.4 1473
Cadmium Cd 609.93 321.07 1412.6 767
Lead Pb 620.6 327 3182 1750
Palladium Pb 621.5 327.5 3180.2 1749
Zinc Zn 788 420 1664.6 907

Medium-Melting Metals And Alloys (from 1112°F or 600 °C to 2912°F or 1600 °C)

Item name Latin designation Temperatures
Melting °F Melting °C Boiling °F Boiling °C
Antimony Sb 1167.134 630.63 2888.6 1587
Plutonium Pu 1184 640 5842.4 3228
Neptunium Np 1191.2 644 7055.33 3901.85
Magnesium Mg 1202 650 2012 1100
Duralumin Alloy of aluminum, magnesium, copper, and manganese 1202 650
Aluminum Al 1220 660 4566.2 2519
Radium Ra 1292 700 3158.33 1736.85
Barium Ba 1340.6 727 3446.6 1897
Strontium Sr 1430.6 777 2519.6 1382
Calcium Ca 1547.6 842 2703.2 1484
Germanium Ge 1718.6 937 5126 2830
Silver Ag 1760 960 3956 2180
Brass Alloy of copper and zinc 1832 1000
Actinium Ac 1923.8 1051 5788.4 3198
Gold Au 1945.4 1063 4820 2660
Copper Cu 1981.4 1083 4676 2580
Nickel silver Alloy of copper, zinc, and nickel 2012 1100
Uranus U 2075 1135 7467.8 4131
Manganese Mn 2274.8 1246 3741.8 2061
Konstantin 2300 1260
Beryllium Be 2348.6 1287 4479.8 2471
Nichrome Alloy of nickel, chromium, silicon, iron, manganese, and aluminum 2552 1400
Silicon Si 2579 1415 4262 2350
Invar Nickel and iron alloy 2597 1425
Nickel Ni 2651 1455 5275.4 2913
Fechral Alloy of chromium, iron, aluminum, manganese, and silicon 2660 1460
Cobalt Co 2723 1495 5300.6 2927
Iron Fe 2802.2 1539 5252 2900
Protactinium Pa 2861.6 1572 7280.6 4027
Cast iron Iron and carbon alloy 2012-2372 1100-1300
Steel Iron and carbon alloy 2372-2732 1300-1500

Refractory Metals And Alloys (over 2912° F or 1600 °C)

Item name Latin designation Temperatures
Melting °F Melting °C Boiling °F Boiling °C
Titanium Ti 3056 1680 5972 3300
Thorium Th 3182 1750 8650.4 4788
Platinum Pt 3216.74 1769.3 6917 3825
Zirconium Zr 3371 1855 7968.2 4409
Chromium Cr 3464.6 1907 4839.8 2671
Vanadium V 3470 1910 6164.6 3407
Rhodium Rh 3567.2 1964 6683 3695
Technetium Tc 3914.6 2157 7709 4265
Hafnium Hf 4051.4 2233 8317.4 4603
Ruthenium Ru 4233.2 2334 7502 4150
Iridium Ir 4436.6 2447 8002.4 4428
Niobium Nb 4490.6 2477 8571.2 4744
Molybdenum Mo 4753.4 2623 8382.2 4639
Tantalum Ta 5462.6 3017 9856.4 5458
Osmium Os 5529.2 3054 9053.6 5012
Titanium carbides 5702 3150
Rhenium Re 5766.8 3186 10 104.8 5596
Tungsten W 6188 3420 10 031 5555
Zirconium carbides 6386 3530
Niobium carbides 6800 3760
Hafnium carbides 7034 3890