The element titanium occurs on earth as titanium (IV) oxide and is found mostly in the mineral called rutile. Rutile is abundant in beach sands in Australia and South Africa. For titanium to be useful, rutile has to be processed to obtain the basic metal form of titanium. Although the process is costly, titanium is gaining popularity as a material for various equipment due to its strength and light weight. One such application is in sports equipment.
1. Explain the chemical process of manufacturing the metal form of titanium.
2. Explain why titanium is a good choice of material for golf clubs. When not in use, discuss at least one precaution to observe when storing clubs?
3. During the fabrication of golf clubs, finely divided titanium is generated, which poses a dangerous risk of fire and explosion. Explain the chemical process involved.
Your total response must be at least 200 words in length.