Specific weight of germanium, properties, applications and values table

Germanium is a chemical element of the fourth group of the main subgroup of the corresponding table of elements. In its simple form, germanium is a typical semiconductor of white color with a gray shade and a metallic luster.

In nature, germanium rarely forms its own industrial minerals and is more often dispersed in zinc and copper sulfide ores, some coals and ash residues, and certain silicate minerals. It is therefore usually obtained as a by-product of processing other raw materials.

This material is used as a semiconductor in transistors and other types of electronic devices in the electrical engineering industry. It is also widely used in infrared and fiber optics.

Germanium has no proven biological significance for living organisms, although some compounds are gaining popularity as components of medicines whose effectiveness has not yet been proven.

Table of the specific weight of germanium

Since germanium is a complex material, it is not possible to calculate its specific weight independently in field conditions. These calculations are carried out in specialized chemical laboratories. However, the average specific weight of germanium is known and equals 5.323 g/cm³.

To simplify calculations, the table below presents the values of the specific weight of germanium, as well as such a parameter as the weight of germanium depending on the units of calculation.

Properties of germanium

The element germanium is a brittle semimetal of white color with a silvery shade and a cubic crystal lattice of the diamond type. This material has a melting point of 938.25 °C. Its boiling point is 2850 °C. The density of this material is 5.33 g/cm³.

A distinctive feature of germanium is its ability to increase density during melting. Thus, the density of solid germanium is 5.323 g/cm³ at 25 °C, while the density of liquid germanium is 5.557 g/cm³ at a temperature of 1000 °C. This feature is also characteristic of elements and substances such as silicon, antimony, gallium, bismuth, water and cerium.

In terms of electrophysical properties, germanium is an indirect-bandgap semiconductor.

Some specially doped germanium structures and compounds are studied at low temperatures, but for ordinary engineering calculations germanium is treated primarily as a semiconductor material, not as a practical superconductor.

Under normal conditions, this type of material is resistant to water, air, acids and alkalis, but it is soluble in an alkaline solution of hydrogen peroxide, as well as in aqua regia.

By percentage ratio, the applications of germanium can be divided into the following areas of use:

• Production of fiber optics — 35 percent
• Production of thermal imaging optics — 30 percent
• Creation of chemical catalysts — 15 percent
• Use in electronics — 15 percent
• Use in metallurgy — 5 percent

Germanium has excellent properties for use in the production of various types of optics. Its high level of transparency to infrared rays makes it possible to use germanium effectively for creating infrared lenses, optics, prisms and windows for optical-type sensors. However, the main purpose of germanium in this area is its use in the production of thermal imaging cameras.

In electronics, germanium is used as a component of microwave devices and as a stable thermoelectric material in thermoelectric alloys.

Germanium has also found application in nuclear physics as a material for gamma detectors.