Nickel

—A hard white metal capable of a high polish. Its specifie gravity is 8.9, and it melts at about the same temperature as iron. It is magnetic but is not easily oxidized, hence its use in nickel plating. An addition of 5 per cent of nickel increases the tensile strength of steel one-half; the metal is used in nickel plating, as mentioned above, and alloyed in equal proper tions of copper and zine ( of each) it constitutes German silver, much employed for mathematical and drawing instruments, and for resistance wires.