English: Zinc is a bluish silvery, brittle and hard metal, with which one often comes across. It is rather ignoble, but in air quickly forms an enduring protective layer. Therefore it is used a lot as corrosion prevention. Many objects made of iron, which shall be weatherproof, are zinc-plated. This is also, because zinc is a quite cheap material. Brass, one of the most common alloys, is made of copper and zinc. Furthermore, zinc is an essential trace element, which above all is needed for the metabolism and which occurs in many foods.