1. Boron is a Group 13 element that has properties which are borderline between metals and non-metals (semimetallic). It is a semiconductor rather than a metallic conductor. Chemically it is closer to silicon than to aluminium, gallium, indium, and thallium.

2. Crystalline boron is inert chemically and is resistant to attack by boiling HF or HCl. When finely divided it is attacked slowly by hot concentrated nitric acid.

3. NameName: Boron SymbolSymbol: B Atomic numberAtomic number: 5 Atomic weightAtomic weight: 10.811 (7) [see notes g m r]gmr Standard stateStandard state: solid at 298 K CAS Registry IDCAS Registry ID: 7440-42-8 Group in periodic tableGroup in periodic table: 13 Group nameGroup name: (none) Period in periodic tablePeriod in periodic table: 2 Block in periodic tableBlock in periodic table: p-block ColourColour: black ClassificationClassification: Semi-metallic

4. Boron was discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy, Joseph-Louis Gay- Lussac, L.J. Th& � nard at 1808 in England, France. Origin of name: from the Arabic word "buraq" and the Persian word "burahdiscoveredOrigin of name

5. Boron compounds have been known for thousands of years, but the element was not isolated until 1808 by Sir Humphry Davy, Joseph-Louis Gay- Lussac (1778-1850) and Louis Jaques Thenard (1777-1857). This was accomplished through the reaction of boric acid (H 3 BO 3 ) with potassium.

6. Density of solid Density of solid : 2460 kg m -3a Boiling point: 4200 [or 3927 °C (7101 °F)] Kiling point Melting point: 2349 [or 2076 °C (3769 °F)] Klting point

7. Isolation Isolation: it is not normally necessary to make boron in the laboratory and it would normally be purchased as it is available commercially. The most common sources of boron are tourmaline, borax [Na 2 B 4 O 5 (OH) 4.8H 2 O], and kernite [Na 2 B 4 O 5 (OH) 4.2H 2 O]. It is difficult to obtain pure. It can be made through the magnesium reduction of the oxide, B 2 O 3. The oxide is made by melting boric acid, B(OH) 3, which in turn is obtained from borax.

8. Samm amounts of high purity boron are available through the thermal decompositi on of compounds such as BBr 3 with hydrogen gas using a heated tantalum wire. Results are better with hot wires at tmeperatures over 1000°C.

9. From the Arabic word Buraq, Persian Burah. Boron compounds have been known for thousands of years, but the element was not discovered until 1808 by Sir Humphry Davy and by Gay-Lussac and Thenard. Sources

10. Isotopes: Natural boron is 19.78% boron-10 and 80.22% boron-11. B-10 and B-11 are the two stable isotopes of boron. Boron has a total of 11 known isotopes ranging from B-7 to B-17. Properties: The melting point of boron is 2079°C, its boiling/sublimation point is at 2550°C, the specific gravity of crystalline boron is 2.34, the specific gravity of the amorphous form is 2.37, and its valence is 3. Boron has interesting optical properties. The boron mineral ulexite exhibits natural fiberoptic properties. Elemental boron transmits portions of infrared light. At room temperature, it is a