Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
atomic number 21

atomic number 21

7.8
A light white metal called scandium that people use in alloys to make things stronger
  • noun
  • /əˈtɑːmɪk ˈnʌmbər ˈtwɛnti fɔr/
  • Specialized
translation icon : número atómico 21
  • The atomic number 21 corresponds to scandium.

Examples

  • Researchers isolated atomic number 21 from the mineral thortveitite in the laboratory.

  • The alloy contains traces of atomic number 21 to improve its strength.

  • Most lightweight aerospace materials incorporate atomic number 21 for added durability.

  • Did you know that atomic number 21 is scandium?

  • Researchers isolated atomic number 21 from the mineral thortveitite in the laboratory.

  • The alloy contains traces of atomic number 21 to improve its strength.

  • Most lightweight aerospace materials incorporate atomic number 21 for added durability.

Synonyms

Sc
vsatomic number 21
  • Specialized
23 8.9

A chemical symbol for the metal scandium

identifies the same substance by numeric identity and describes its properties
scandium
vsatomic number 21
  • Specialized
1 8.9

A soft silvery metal used to make other metals stronger

focuses on numeric identity and formal classification including occurrence in thortveitite

Surface Forms

atomic number 21 singular
atomic numbers 21 plural

Morphology

atomic + number + 21

The phrase literally signals 'the element whose atomic (periodic table) number is 21' so a learner who knows 'atomic', 'number' and '21' can infer it refers to the element at position 21. However, identifying that this specific position is 'scandium' requires domain-specific (periodic table) knowledge beyond the constituent words, so the meaning is only partially derivable.

Etymology

Atomic number 21 comes from how scientists name elements: the word atomic points to atoms and number to the count of tiny particles inside them called 'protons'. So Atomic number 21 simply names the element scandium, because each scandium atom has 21 'protons'.