What is Germanium?
{{Distinguish|Geranium}} [[Image:Germanium.jpg|thumb|A piece of germanium]] [[File:1950 NPN General Electric Transistors.jpg|thumb|Germanium transistors]] '''Germanium''' is a [[chemical element]]. Its chemical symbol is ''Ge''. Its [[atomic number]] is 32. It was discovered by Clemens Winkler. It is a shiny, hard, silver-white [[metalloid]]. The chemistry of Germanium is quite like [[tin]]. Germanium forms many [[Organometallic compound|organometallic]] [[chemical compound|compounds]]. It is an important [[semiconductor]] material used in [[transistor]]s. Many of the earliest transistors were based on germanium. Most later ones were based on [[silicon]]. The sound of germanium-based [[amplifier]]s and [[effect pedal]]s is associated with 1960s-era [[rock music]]. Germanium-based guitar pedals are still made and are often used for their classic sound. {{chem-stub}} {{Periodic Table}}{{authority control}} [[Category:Semimetals]]