What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘lithium’?
Although it has a young atomic number, it is an element that is difficult to imagine.

However, lithium has become an essential element in modern society.
Let’s look at this with some concrete examples.

Properties and characteristics of lithium

It is the lightest metal and one of the most important rare metals.
The Salar de Uyuni in the country of Bolivia is thought to contain about half of all the lithium on the planet.

How lithium is used in society

Lithium is used in ‘lithium-ion batteries’, ‘electric vehicles’ carrying them, and ‘depression medications’. So it has become an essential element in our lives with smartphones, cars and medicine.

Let’s look at how exactly they are used.

Lithium is useful “lithium-ion battery”

When you charge your smartphone or laptop, you are actually charging the lithium-ion battery.

In simple terms, lithium-ion batteries have an ‘A chamber’ and a ‘B chamber’, and when lithium moves into the ‘A chamber’ it is ‘charged’ and when it moves into the ‘B chamber’ it is ‘discharged’.

As the name suggests, lithium is the main ingredient.

Lithium is useful “electric automobile”

Lithium-ion batteries, introduced earlier, are also loaded in electric vehicles. As the motor is powered by electricity, no exhaust emissions are emitted. And the element that produces the electricity is lithium.

Electric vehicles, also known as EVs, are gradually gaining popularity and are being developed to put a stop to global warming caused by CO2 emissions.

The Parliament has stated that it will achieve 100% electric vehicles in new car sales by 2035.

It is likely that electric vehicles will become increasingly popular in the future, and that lithium will be needed in large quantities as a result.

Lithium is useful “antidepressants”

One of the drugs used to treat depression is mood stabilizers.

Mood stabilizers are effective drugs for the treatment and prevention of manic and depressive states.
This contains lithium carbonate, which acts on the central nervous system to reduce heightened emotions and behavior.

It is an element that has an impact on human health.

History of lithium

Chemical symbol: Li
Name: Lithium

Derived from the Greek word Lithos, meaning ‘stone’.

Summary

In this article, we have explained the following about lithium.

• One of the lightest, hardest and most valuable rare metals
• Used in ‘lithium-ion batteries’, ‘electric vehicles‘ and antidepressants‘.
• The name comes from the Greek ‘Lithos’ meaning ‘stone‘.