Zinc is available in many forms including cathodes, ingots, jumbos, dust, foil, granules, powder, pieces, nanosize activated powder, shot, and a mossy form. Small and large samples of zinc foil, sheet, and wire can be purchased from Advent Research Materials via their web catalogue.
Zinc is a bluish-white, lustrous metal. It is brittle at ambient temperatures but is malleable at 100 to 150°C. It is a reasonable conductor of electricity, and burns in air at high red heat with evolution of white clouds of the oxide.
Zinc-deficient animals require 50% more food to gain the same weight of an animal supplied with adequate amounts of zinc. Zinc is not particularly toxic and is an essential element in the growth of all animals and plants.
Plating thin layers of zinc on to iron or steel is known as galvanising and helps to protect the iron from corrosion.
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