Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Manganese?

\Man`ga*nese"\, n. [F. mangan[`e]se, It. manganese, sasso magnesio; prob. corrupted from L. magnes, because of its resemblance to the magnet. See {Magnet}, and cf. {Magnesia}.] (Chem.) An element obtained by reduction of its oxide, as a hard, grayish white metal, fusible with difficulty, but easily oxidized. Its ores occur abundantly in nature as the minerals pyrolusite, manganite, etc. Symbol Mn. Atomic weight 54.8. Note: An alloy of manganese with iron (called ferromanganese) is used to increase the density and hardness of steel. {Black oxide of manganese}, {Manganese dioxide or peroxide}, or {Black manganese} (Chem.), a heavy black powder {MnO2}, occurring native as the mineral pyrolusite, and valuable as a strong oxidizer; -- called also familiarly {manganese}. It colors glass violet, and is used as a decolorizer to remove the green tint of impure glass. {Manganese bronze}, an alloy made by adding from one to two per cent of manganese to the copper and zinc used in brass.