Elemental arsenic occurs in two solid modifications: yellow, and grey or metallic, with specific gravities of 1.97, and 5.73, respectively. The element is a steel Grey, very brittle, crystalline, semimetallic (metalloid) solid. It tarnishes in air, and when heated rapidly oxidizes to arsenous oxide which has a garlic odour.
Arsenic and its compounds are poisonous. Upon heating arsenic and some minerals containing arsenic, it sublimes (transfers from the solid to the gaseous state, without passing through the liquid state).
Chemical properties
Synonyms for arsenic are arsenic-75, metallic arsenic, arsenic black, arsenicals, and colloidal arsenic. The inorganic arsenic compounds are solids at normal temperatures and are not likely to volatilize. In water, they range from quite soluble (sodium arsenite and arsenic acid) too practically insoluble (arsenic trisulfide).
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