* Germanium is a member of the semi-metals family:
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GERMANIUM / Ge / 32
A silver-white, brittle, semi-metallic element that has high
resistance to corrosion. Five isotopes are found in nature:
Ge<74/32> / 36.5%
Ge<72/32> / 27%
Ge<70/32> / 20.5%
Ge<73/32> / 8%
Ge<76/32> / 8%
All are stable.
atomic weight: 72.61
abundance: 52nd
density: 5.323 gm/cc
melting point: 937 C
boiling point: 2,830 C
valence: 2 4
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Germanium is produced in the tens of tonnes per year. It was once heavily used for high-power transistors, but it's generally gone out of fashion in that application, though some modern high-speed silicon transistors use germanium in their construction. It is now mostly used in special glass for wide-angle lenses (since it has a high index of refraction) and for infrared cameras (since it doesn't block infrared).
