Cadmium vs Zinc
Cadmium and Zinc are genuine alternatives to one another — a choice somebody actually makes — and differ on 5 measured properties, density most clearly.
Cadmium vs Zinc
| Property | Cadmium | Zinc |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic number | 48 higher | 30 |
| Density | 8.65 g/cm³ higher | 7.14 g/cm³ |
| Electrical conductivity Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | Not known | 16.6 MS/m |
| Melting point | 321.1 °C | 419 °C higher |
| Mohs hardness Mohs hardness is an ordinal scale: values can be ranked, but differences and ratios between them are not meaningful. | about 2 | about 2.5 higher |
| Molar mass | 112.414 g/mol higher | 65.38 g/mol |
Choosing between them
Zinc is recorded as a substitute for Cadmium — less toxic.
What it gives up: Performs less well in salt spray, which is the one place cadmium plating is still argued for.
Direct substitute, on the evidence cited above.