Scandium

A baseball player

Source: istockphoto

The shadowy metal that shines like the Sun

That scandium is more abundant in the heavens than it is on Earth was realised in 1908 when William Crookes and Gustav Eberhard examined the visible spectra of the sun and certain stars. They identified strong bands arising from this element, which is widely dispersed. 

John Emsley explores this fascinating metal.

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor. 

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

  • unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
  • teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
  • applications for funding to support your lessons

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.