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Cerium Ce
Where is cerium used--or where does it impact your everyday life?
Gas lamps glow with a brighter, more even light, if the burning gas is covered with a diffusing mantle. These often contain thorium nitrate and cerium salts.
See the video of radioactivity detection from a gas mantle --here throium detection
More misch metal in the Bunsen burner lighter flints-up to 50% lanthanum, with ~33% cerium and praesodymium and neodymium alloyed with ~20% iron
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Self-cleaning ovens are coated with a layer that withstands temperatures of 500 degrees C and includes a catalyst of cerium IV oxide CeO2.
Samarskite (YCeFeU)3(NbTiTa)5O16 Webb mine, Yancy County, North Carolina, USA viewed during a Chemistry One field trip to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, USA
The metal flints that produce sparks for igniting Zippo lighters are made of mischmetal: 38% cerium alloyed with praesodymium, neodymium, lanthanum and magnesium with ~20% iron. Many thanks to (Biology) Ms. S's fiance for the image of the lighter.
Below, a lab Bunsen burner lighter from room 304 with the flint separated from the striker--again the flint is made of misch metal
See the glow from the flint on the strike plate below.
and a second sample of gadolinite from Sactersdalen, Norway on display at the National Museum of Natural History viewed on a Chemistry One field trip
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Replacement misch metal flints
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A small part of a block of magnesium can be shaved into small pieces. Tinder is added-dried grass or dry dead leaves and a spark produced with a flint or piece of metal. Often the flint is a ferrocerium rod--a mixture (alloy) of iron, Fe, and cerium, Ce. The sparks ignite the magnesium shavings easily.
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