Titanium is defined as a light, very strong metal that can resist very high temperatures. Titanium’s atomic number is 22 and its atomic weight is 47.867. Titanium comes from the Greek word titans, which means “first sons of the Earth.” In 1791 William Greger was the person who discovered titanium, but in 1910 Matthew Hunter was the person to discover pure titanium. Titanium is as strong as steel and twice as strong as aluminum. It is 45% lighter than steel and only 60% heavier than aluminum. Titanium is the ninth most abundant element in the earth's crust. Titanium is the only element that will burn in an atmosphere of pure nitrogen. It makes up about o.57% of the earths crust.
Titanium doesn’t corrode in water or salt water and can stand very high temperatures. Titanium is used to make boat parts, airplanes, rockets, and it is used in the body to help replace hips and other parts of the body. Titanium oxide (TiO2) is used as a pigment to create white paint and this is the largest use of the element. Pure titanium oxide is relatively clear and is used to create the artificial gemstone called titania. Titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), another titanium compound, has been used in the making of smoke screens. Titanium is found in coal ash, plants, and in the human body. It is almost always found in igneous rocks. Titanium is found in the sun and in meteorites. Rocks from the Apollo 17 mission to the moon contained up to 12.1% TiO2. Rocks from earlier missions showed lower percentages of titanium dioxide.
The vast amount of titanium is not used in its elemental form. It’s usually used as an oxide, titanium dioxide (TiO2). The oxide form currently accounts for over 96% of titanium consumption worldwide. Titanium dioxide is used globally and is one of the leading inorganic compounds in production today. Titanium is used in alloys with aluminum, molybdenum, manganese, and iron. Most of these alloys are used in the aerospace industry such as airframes and engines. By mixing the elements, they become stronger, they are lighter, and they have ability to withstand extreme temperatures. Titanium is classified as a "Transition Metal.“ Transition metals are located in Groups 3 - 12 of the Periodic Table. An Element classified as a Transition Metal is ductile, malleable, and able