Zinc (Lat. Zincum) is a silvery-white metal characterized by workability, excellent melting properties, corrosion resistance, and a wide range of applications in the manufacturing industry. Zinc readily dissolves in acids and alkalis and is considered to be a chemically active metal. The metal melts when heated to 420°C and boils at a temperature of 907°C. Interestingly, zinc is the second most abundant metal in the human body after iron.
Zinc (chemical symbol Zn) is commonly used in the home as an anti-corrosion metal, effectively helping to protect various components of appliances from rusting. Large amounts of zinc can be found in both washing machines (up to 3 kg per unit) and refrigerators (up to 1 kg per unit). Smaller amounts of the metal can be found in modern computers and televisions. In ancient times, before zinc was identified as a separate element, its ore was used to make brass – an alloy of zinc and copper.
Today, zinc is used not only as an important component in car batteries and as an element of anti-corrosion coatings in construction, but also as a valuable component in the fields medicine, food supplements, and fertilizers.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc
https://www.britannica.com/science/zinc