Radium

Notable characteristics

The heaviest of the alkaline earth metals, radium is intensely radioactive and resembles Barium chemically. This metal is found (combined) in minute quantities in the uranium ore pitchblende, and various other uranium minerals. Radium preparations are remarkable for maintaining themselves at a higher temperature than their surroundings, and for their radiations, which are of three kinds: alpha rays, beta rays, and gamma rays. Radium also produces neutrons when mixed with beryllium.

Related Topics:
Alkaline earth metal - Barium - Pitchblende - Minerals - Temperature - Alpha rays - Beta rays - Gamma rays - Neutron - Beryllium

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When freshly prepared, pure radium metal is brilliant white, but blackens when exposed to air (probably due to nitride formation). Radium is luminescent (giving a faint blue color), corrodes in water to form radium hydroxide and is a bit more volatile than barium.

Related Topics:
Nitride - Luminescent - Water - Radium hydroxide - Barium

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~