Cobalt

Definition

A hard, lustrous metallic element (atomic number 27) that is typically blue or silvery in appearance. It's used in alloys, batteries, pigments, and catalysts, and its compounds are prized for creating deep blue colors in ceramics and glass.

Example Usage

The artist ground cobalt oxide into a fine powder to create the brilliant blue pigment for her painting.

Origin

From German 'Kobalt,' derived from 'Kobold' (goblin), because miners blamed mischievous spirits when cobalt ore contaminated their silver extraction.

Fun Fact

Cobalt blue became the color of choice for 18th-century Delftware pottery, and cobalt-60 is used in medical radiotherapy to treat cancer.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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