Difference between revisions of "Radium" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Elementbox_header | number=88 | symbol=Ra | name=radium | left= [[francium]] | right=[[actinium]] | above=[[barium|Ba]] | below=[[Unbinilium|Ubn]] | color1=#ffdead | color2=black }}
 
{{Elementbox_header | number=88 | symbol=Ra | name=radium | left= [[francium]] | right=[[actinium]] | above=[[barium|Ba]] | below=[[Unbinilium|Ubn]] | color1=#ffdead | color2=black }}
 
{{Elementbox_series | [[alkaline earth metal]]s }}
 
{{Elementbox_series | [[alkaline earth metal]]s }}
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{{Elementbox_footer | color1=#ffdead | color2=black }}
 
{{Elementbox_footer | color1=#ffdead | color2=black }}
  
'''Radium''' (chemical symbol '''Ra''', [[atomic number]]* 88) is an extremely [[radioactive]] [[chemical element|element]] that is classified as an an [[alkaline earth metal]]. When freshly prepared, the pure metal is brilliant white, but it blackens when exposed to air. It is found in trace amounts in [[uranium]] ores. Its most stable [[isotope]], Ra-226, has a [[half-life]]* of 1,602 years and decays into [[radon]] gas, which is also radioactive.
+
'''Radium''' (chemical symbol '''Ra''', [[atomic number]] 88) is an extremely [[radioactive]] [[chemical element|element]] that is classified as an an [[alkaline earth metal]]. When freshly prepared, the pure metal is brilliant white, but it blackens when exposed to air. It is found in trace amounts in [[uranium]] ores. Its most stable [[isotope]], Ra-226, has a [[half-life]] of 1,602 years and decays into [[radon]] gas, which is also radioactive.
 
 
The applications of radium are mainly based on its radioactivity. For instance, it is used in controlled doses for radiation therapy for certain types of cancer, and its mixture with [[beryllium]] is used as a neutron source in certain [[physics]] experiments. It was once used in luminescent paints on watch dials, and in the early twentieth century it was added to products like toothpaste, hair creams, and certain foodstuffs, based on the belief that it had curative properties. These latter uses were discontinued when the adverse effects of radium were discovered.
 
  
 +
The applications of radium are mainly based on its radioactivity. For instance, it is used in controlled doses for radiation therapy for certain types of [[cancer]], and its mixture with [[beryllium]] is used as a [[neutron]] source in certain [[physics]] experiments. It was once used in luminescent paints on watch dials, and in the early twentieth century it was added to products like [[toothpaste]], hair creams, and certain foodstuffs, based on the belief that it had curative properties. These latter uses were discontinued when the adverse effects of radium were discovered.
 +
{{toc}}
 
Radium needs to be handled and stored with extreme care. Exposure to radiation from this element can lead to sores on the skin and other health problems. If inhaled or ingested, radium can replace [[calcium]] in bone tissue and cause bone [[cancer]].
 
Radium needs to be handled and stored with extreme care. Exposure to radiation from this element can lead to sores on the skin and other health problems. If inhaled or ingested, radium can replace [[calcium]] in bone tissue and cause bone [[cancer]].
  
 
== Occurrence ==
 
== Occurrence ==
  
Radium is a [[decay product]]* of uranium and is therefore found in all uranium-bearing [[ore]]s. It was originally acquired from [[uraninite|pitchblende]]* ore from [[Jáchymov|Joachimsthal, Bohemia]]*. (Seven [[metric ton]]*s of pitchblende yielded one [[gram]]* of radium.) Some of this element can be obtained from the [[carnotite]]* sands of [[Colorado]]*, but there are richer ores in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] and the [[Great Lakes (North America)|Great Lakes]]* area of [[Canada]]. It can also be extracted from uranium processing waste. Large uranium deposits are located in Ontario (Canada), [[New Mexico]]* and [[Utah]] (United States), [[Australia]], and other parts of the world.
+
Radium is a [[decay product]] of [[uranium]] and is therefore found in all uranium-bearing [[ore]]s. It was originally acquired from [[uraninite|pitchblende]] ore from [[Jáchymov|Joachimsthal, Bohemia]]. (Seven [[metric ton]]s of [[pitchblende]] yielded one [[gram]] of radium.) Some of this element can be obtained from the [[carnotite]] sands of [[Colorado]], but there are richer ores in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] and the [[Great Lakes|Great Lakes]] area of [[Canada]]. It can also be extracted from uranium processing waste. Large uranium deposits are located in [[Ontario]] ([[Canada]]), [[New Mexico]] and [[Utah]] ([[United States]]), [[Australia]], and other parts of the world.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
  
Radium (from the [[Latin]] word ''radius'', meaning "ray") was [[discovery of the chemical elements|discovered]]* by [[Marie Curie|Maria Skłodowska-Curie]] and her husband [[Pierre Curie|Pierre]]* in 1898. The Curies were studying pitchblende, a variety of the uranium ore [[uraninite]]* (mainly uranium dioxide, UO<sub>2</sub>) obtained from North [[Bohemia]] (area around [[Jáchymov]]*). When they removed [[uranium]] from the ore, they found that the remaining material was still [[radioactive decay|radioactive]]. They then separated out a radioactive mixture, consisting mostly of [[barium]], which gave a brilliant red flame color and [[spectral line]]s that had never been documented before.
+
Radium (from the [[Latin]] word ''radius'', meaning "ray") was [[discovery of the chemical elements|discovered]] by [[Marie Curie|Maria Skłodowska-Curie]] and her husband [[Pierre Curie|Pierre]] in 1898. The Curies were studying [[pitchblende]], a variety of the [[uranium]] ore [[uraninite]] (mainly uranium dioxide, UO<sub>2</sub>) obtained from North [[Bohemia]] (area around [[Jáchymov]]). When they removed [[uranium]] from the ore, they found that the remaining material was still [[radioactive decay|radioactive]]. They then separated out a radioactive mixture, consisting mostly of [[barium]], which gave a brilliant red flame color and [[spectral line]]s that had never been documented before.
  
In 1902, Marie Curie and [[Andre Debierne]]* isolated radium in its pure [[metal]]lic form. Their method involved [[electrolysis]] of a solution of pure radium [[chloride]]*, using a [[mercury (element)|mercury]] [[electrolysis|cathode]], and [[distillation]]* of the product in an atmosphere of [[hydrogen]] gas.
+
In 1902, Marie Curie and [[Andre Debierne]] isolated radium in its pure [[metal]]lic form. Their method involved [[electrolysis]] of a solution of pure radium [[chloride]], using a [[mercury (element)|mercury]] [[electrolysis|cathode]], and [[distillation]] of the product in an atmosphere of [[hydrogen]] gas.
  
Historically, the radioactive decay products of radium were labeled Radium A, B, C, and so forth (see [[#Radioactivity|Radioactivity]] below). These are now recognized as isotopes of other elements. On February 4, 1936, radium E became the first [[radioactive]] element to be made synthetically.
+
Historically, the radioactive decay products of radium were labeled Radium A, B, C, and so forth (see [[#Radioactivity|Radioactivity]] below). These are now recognized as [[isotope]]s of other elements. On February 4, 1936, radium E became the first [[radioactive]] element to be made synthetically.
  
During the 1930s, it was found that workers exposed to radium when handling [[luminescence|luminescent]]* paints suffered from serious health problems, including sores, [[anemia]]*, and bone [[cancer]]. This use of radium was stopped soon afterward. The reason for this problem is that the body treats radium as though it were [[calcium]]. Thus, radium becomes deposited in the bones, where radioactivity degrades the [[marrow]]* and damages bone cells. [[Marie Curie]]'s premature death has been attributed to her extensive work with radium.
+
During the 1930s, it was found that workers exposed to radium when handling [[luminescence|luminescent]] paints suffered from serious health problems, including sores, [[anemia]], and bone [[cancer]]. This use of radium was stopped soon afterward. The reason for this problem is that the body treats radium as though it were [[calcium]]. Thus, radium becomes deposited in the bones, where radioactivity degrades the [[marrow]] and damages bone cells. [[Marie Curie]]'s premature death has been attributed to her extensive work with radium.
  
 
== Notable characteristics ==
 
== Notable characteristics ==
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Radium is the heaviest of the [[alkaline earth metal]]s. It lies directly below [[barium]] in group 2 (former group 2A) of the periodic table, and its chemical properties therefore most closely resemble those of barium. In addition, it is placed in period 7, between [[francium]] and [[inner transition metal|actinium]].
 
Radium is the heaviest of the [[alkaline earth metal]]s. It lies directly below [[barium]] in group 2 (former group 2A) of the periodic table, and its chemical properties therefore most closely resemble those of barium. In addition, it is placed in period 7, between [[francium]] and [[inner transition metal|actinium]].
  
Radium is intensely radioactive, emitting three types of radiation: [[alpha particles]], [[beta particles]], and [[gamma rays]]. When mixed with [[beryllium]], radium produces [[neutron]]s. Another remarkable property of radium preparations is that they keep themselves warmer than their surroundings.
+
Radium is intensely [[radioactive decay|radioactive]], emitting three types of radiation: [[alpha particle]]s, [[beta particle]]s, and [[gamma ray]]s. When mixed with [[beryllium]], radium produces [[neutron]]s. Another remarkable property of radium preparations is that they keep themselves warmer than their surroundings.
  
Radium is [[luminescence|luminescent]]*, giving a faint blue color, and is slightly more volatile than [[barium]]. Like other alkaline earth metals, it reacts with [[water]] to form the hydroxide, which is alkaline.
+
Radium is [[luminescence|luminescent]], giving a faint blue color, and is slightly more volatile than [[barium]]. Like other alkaline earth metals, it reacts with [[water]] to form the [[hydroxide]], which is alkaline.
  
 
=== Isotopes ===
 
=== Isotopes ===
  
Radium has 25 known [[isotope]]s, four of which&mdash;Ra-223, Ra-224, Ra-226, and Ra-228&mdash;are are found in nature and are generated by the decay of [[uranium]] or [[thorium]]. The common isotope is Ra-226, a product of U-238 decay. It is the longest-lived isotope of radium, with a [[half-life]]* of 1,602 years. The next longest-lived isotope is Ra-228, a product of Th-232 breakdown, with a half-life of 6.7 years.
+
Radium has 25 known [[isotope]]s, four of which&mdash;Ra-223, Ra-224, Ra-226, and Ra-228&mdash;are are found in nature and are generated by the decay of [[uranium]] or [[thorium]]. The common isotope is Ra-226, a product of U-238 decay. It is the longest-lived isotope of radium, with a [[half-life]] of 1,602 years. The next longest-lived isotope is Ra-228, a product of Th-232 breakdown, with a half-life of 6.7 years.
  
 
=== Radioactivity ===
 
=== Radioactivity ===
  
Radium is over one million times more radioactive than the same mass of [[uranium]]. It loses about 1% of its activity in 25 years, being transformed into elements of lower atomic weight. The final product of disintegration is [[lead]].
+
Radium is over one million times more [[radioactive decay|radioactive]] than the same [[mass]] of [[uranium]]. It loses about one percent of its activity in 25 years, being transformed into elements of lower atomic weight. The final product of disintegration is [[lead]].
  
 
The decay of radium occurs in stages. The successive main products were called radium emanation (or exradio), radium A, radium B, radium C, and so forth. These products have been studied and are now known to be isotopes of other elements, as follows.
 
The decay of radium occurs in stages. The successive main products were called radium emanation (or exradio), radium A, radium B, radium C, and so forth. These products have been studied and are now known to be isotopes of other elements, as follows.
Line 90: Line 90:
 
:Radium F: polonium-210
 
:Radium F: polonium-210
  
The SI unit of radioactivity is the [[becquerel]] (Bq), corresponding to one disintegration per second.  The [[curie]]*, a non-SI unit, is defined as the amount of radioactivity that has the same disintegration rate as 1 gram of Ra-226 (3.7 x 10<sup>10</sup> disintegrations per second, or 37 GBq).
+
The SI unit of radioactivity is the [[becquerel]] (Bq), corresponding to one disintegration per second.  The [[curie]], a non-SI unit, is defined as the amount of radioactivity that has the same disintegration rate as 1 gram of Ra-226 (3.7 x 10<sup>10</sup> disintegrations per second, or 37 GBq).
  
 
== Compounds ==
 
== Compounds ==
  
Given that radium has a geologically short [[half-life]]* and intense radioactivity, its naturally occurring compounds are quite rare, found almost exclusively in uranium ores. When the compounds are heated in a flame, the flame color turns crimson carmine* (a rich red or crimson color, with a shade of purple), and they produce characteristic [[electromagnetic spectrum|spectra]].
+
Given that radium has a geologically short [[half-life]] and intense radioactivity, its naturally occurring compounds are quite rare, found almost exclusively in uranium [[ore]]s. When the compounds are heated in a flame, the flame color turns crimson carmine (a rich red or crimson color, with a shade of purple), and they produce characteristic [[electromagnetic spectrum|spectra]].
  
Compounds of radium include its oxide (Ra[[oxygen|O]]), fluoride (Ra[[florine|F]]<sub>2</sub>), chloride (Ra[[chlorine|Cl]]<sub>2</sub>), bromide (Ra[[bromine|Br]]<sub>2</sub>), and iodide (Ra[[iodine|I]]<sub>2</sub>). Of these, radium chloride the first to be prepared in a pure state, and was the basis of [[Marie Curie]]'s original separation of radium from [[barium]].{{ref|Curie}}
+
Compounds of radium include its [[oxide]] (Ra[[oxygen|O]]), fluoride (Ra[[florine|F]]<sub>2</sub>), chloride (Ra[[chlorine|Cl]]<sub>2</sub>), bromide (Ra[[bromine|Br]]<sub>2</sub>), and iodide (Ra[[iodine|I]]<sub>2</sub>). Of these, radium chloride was the first to be prepared in a pure state, and was the basis of [[Marie Curie]]'s original separation of radium from [[barium]].<ref>Marie Curie and Andre Debierne, ''C. R. Hebd. Acad. Sci. Paris'' 151 (1910):523&ndash;25.</ref>
  
 
== Applications ==
 
== Applications ==
  
At the turn of the twentieth century, radium was a popular additive in products like toothpaste, hair creams, and even food items, based on its assumed curative powers. Such products soon fell out of vogue and were prohibited by authorities in many countries, after it was discovered they could have serious adverse health effects.
+
At the turn of the twentieth century, radium was a popular additive in products like [[toothpaste]], hair creams, and even food items, based on its assumed curative powers. Such products soon fell out of vogue and were prohibited by authorities in many countries, after it was discovered they could have serious adverse health effects.
  
Until the 1950s, radium was used in [[luminescence|self-luminous]]* paints for watches, clocks, and instrument dials. Unfortunately, more than 100 former watch dial painters who used their lips to hold the paintbrush died from the radiation. Subsequently, this use was also discontinued. Nonetheless, objects with this paint may still be dangerous and must be handled properly. Currently, [[tritium]] (which also carries some risks) is used instead of radium, as it is considered safer than radium.
+
Until the 1950s, radium was used in [[luminescence|self-luminous]] paints for watches, clocks, and instrument dials. Unfortunately, more than 100 former watch dial painters who used their lips to hold the paintbrush died from the radiation. Subsequently, this use was also discontinued. Nonetheless, objects with this paint may still be dangerous and must be handled properly. Currently, [[tritium]] (which also carries some risks) is used instead of radium, as it is considered safer than radium.
  
*When mixed with [[beryllium]], radium is a [[neutron source]]* for [[physics]] experiments.
+
*When mixed with [[beryllium]], radium is a [[neutron source]] for [[physics]] experiments.
 
*Radium (usually in the form of radium chloride) is used in [[medicine]] to produce [[radon]] gas, which in turn is used in treating [[cancer]].
 
*Radium (usually in the form of radium chloride) is used in [[medicine]] to produce [[radon]] gas, which in turn is used in treating [[cancer]].
*Radium-223 is currently under investigation for use as a treatment for bone [[cancer]] metastasis.
+
*Radium-223 is currently under investigation for use as a treatment for bone [[cancer]] [[metastasis]].
*[[destination spa|Spas]]* featuring radium-rich water are still occasionally touted as beneficial, such as those in [[Misasa, Tottori]]*, [[Japan]].
+
*[[destination spa|Spas]] featuring radium-rich water are still occasionally touted as beneficial, such as those in [[Misasa, Tottori]], [[Japan]].
 
*The [[curie]], a non-[[SI]] unit for radioactivity, is based on the radioactivity of radium-226 (see [[#Radioactivity|Radioactivity]]).
 
*The [[curie]], a non-[[SI]] unit for radioactivity, is based on the radioactivity of radium-226 (see [[#Radioactivity|Radioactivity]]).
  
More recently, radium is being replaced by other [[radioisotope]]*s&mdash;such as [[cobalt]]-60 and [[cesium]]-137&mdash;when there is a need for radioactive sources that are safer to handle or those that emit more powerful radiation.
+
More recently, radium is being replaced by other [[radioisotope]]s&mdash;such as [[cobalt]]-60 and [[cesium]]-137&mdash;when there is a need for radioactive sources that are safer to handle or those that emit more powerful radiation.
  
 
== Precautions ==
 
== Precautions ==
  
Radium is highly radioactive and its decay product, [[radon]] gas, is also radioactive. The energy emitted by the radioactive decay of radium ionizes gases, affects photographic plates, causes sores on the skin, and produces many other detrimental effects. As radium is chemically similar to calcium, it can potentially replace calcium in [[bone]] tissue, causing great harm. Inhalation, injection, ingestion, or body exposure to radium can cause cancer and other body disorders. Stored radium should be properly ventilated, to prevent the accumulation of radon.
+
Radium is highly [[radioactive decay|radioactive]] and its decay product, [[radon]] gas, is also radioactive. The energy emitted by the radioactive decay of radium ionizes gases, affects photographic plates, causes sores on the skin, and produces many other detrimental effects. As radium is chemically similar to [[calcium]], it can potentially replace calcium in [[bone]] tissue, causing great harm. Inhalation, injection, ingestion, or body exposure to radium can cause [[cancer]] and other body disorders. Stored radium should be properly ventilated, to prevent the accumulation of radon.
  
==Further reading==
+
== See also ==
  
*Scientific American (''Macklis RM, The great radium scandal. Sci.Am. 1993 Aug: 269(2):94-99'')
+
* [[Alkaline earth metal]]
* Clark, Claudia. (1987). ''Radium Girls: Women and Industrial Health Reform, 1910-1935''. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-4640-6.
+
* [[Barium]]
* Ken Silverstein, ''Harper's Magazine'', November 1998; The radioactive boy scout: when a teenager attempts to build a breeder reactor - case of David Hahn who managed to secure materials and equipment from businesses and information from government officials to develop an atomic energy radiation project for his Boy Scout merit-badge.
+
* [[Chemical element]]
* [[Decay chain]]s (with some examples including Radium)
+
* [[Periodic table]]
 +
* [[Polonium]]
 +
* [[Radioactive decay]]
 +
* [[Uranium]]
 +
 
 +
== Notes ==
 +
<references/>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
+
* Clark, Claudia. 1987. ''Radium Girls: Women and Industrial Health Reform, 1910-1935''. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0807846406.
*''Guide to the Elements - Revised Edition'', Albert Stwertka, (Oxford University Press; 1998) ISBN 0-19-508083-1
+
* Grady, Denise. [http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/100698sci-radium.html "A Glow in the Dark, and a Lesson in Scientific Peril"] ''The New York Times on the Web''. Retrieved December 17, 2006.
*[http://periodic.lanl.gov/elements/88.html Los Alamos National Laboratory - Radium]
+
*[http://periodic.lanl.gov/elements/88.html Radium] Los Alamos National Laboratory. Retrieved October 9, 2006.
*[http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/100698sci-radium.html A Glow in the Dark, and a Lesson in Scientific Peril]
+
* Macklis, R.M. 1993. "The great radium scandal." ''Scientific American'' 269(2): 94-99.
*{{note|Curie}} [[Marie Curie|Curie, M.]], Andre Debierne|Debierne, A. (1910). ''C. R. Hebd. Acad. Sci. Paris'' '''151''':523&ndash;25.
+
* Stwertka, Albert. 1998. ''Guide to the Elements'' (Revised Edition). Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195080831.
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
 +
All links retrieved December 7, 2022.
 +
*[http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/Ra/index.html WebElements.com - Radium]
 +
*[http://lateralscience.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-discovery-of-radium-by-marie-curie.html Lateral Science - Radium Discovery]
 +
*[http://www.markwshead.com/stuffHappens/radium.html Photos of Radium Water Bath in Oklahoma]
  
*[http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/Ra/index.html WebElements.com - Radium] (also used as a reference)
 
*[http://www.lateralscience.co.uk/radium/RaDisc.html Lateral Science - Radium Discovery]
 
*[http://www.markwshead.com/stuffHappens/radium.html Photos of Radium Water Bath in Oklahoma]
 
{{ChemicalSources}}
 
  
 
[[Category:Physical sciences]]
 
[[Category:Physical sciences]]

Latest revision as of 22:47, 7 December 2022

88 franciumradiumactinium
Ba

Ra

Ubn
Ra-TableImage.png
periodic table
General
Name, Symbol, Number radium, Ra, 88
Chemical series alkaline earth metals
Group, Period, Block 2, 7, s
Appearance silvery white metallic
Atomic mass (226) g/mol
Electron configuration [Rn] 7s2
Electrons per shell 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 8, 2
Physical properties
Phase solid
Density (near r.t.) 5.5 g/cm³
Melting point 973 K
(700 °C, 1292 °F)
Boiling point 2010 K
(1737 °C, 3159 °F)
Heat of fusion 8.5 kJ/mol
Heat of vaporization 113 kJ/mol
Vapor pressure
P/Pa 1 10 100 1 k 10 k 100 k
at T/K 819 906 1037 1209 1446 1799
Atomic properties
Crystal structure cubic body centered
Oxidation states 2
(strongly basic oxide)
Electronegativity 0.9 (Pauling scale)
Ionization energies 1st: 509.3 kJ/mol
2nd: 979.0 kJ/mol
Atomic radius 215 pm
Miscellaneous
Magnetic ordering nonmagnetic
Electrical resistivity (20 °C) 1 µΩ·m
Thermal conductivity (300 K) 18.6 W/(m·K)
CAS registry number 7440-14-4
Notable isotopes
Main article: Isotopes of radium
iso NA half-life DM DE (MeV) DP
223Ra ? 11.43 d alpha 5.99 219Rn
224Ra ? 3.6319 d alpha 5.789 220Rn
226Ra trace 1602 y alpha 4.871 222Rn
228Ra syn 6.7 y beta- 0.046 228Ac

Radium (chemical symbol Ra, atomic number 88) is an extremely radioactive element that is classified as an an alkaline earth metal. When freshly prepared, the pure metal is brilliant white, but it blackens when exposed to air. It is found in trace amounts in uranium ores. Its most stable isotope, Ra-226, has a half-life of 1,602 years and decays into radon gas, which is also radioactive.

The applications of radium are mainly based on its radioactivity. For instance, it is used in controlled doses for radiation therapy for certain types of cancer, and its mixture with beryllium is used as a neutron source in certain physics experiments. It was once used in luminescent paints on watch dials, and in the early twentieth century it was added to products like toothpaste, hair creams, and certain foodstuffs, based on the belief that it had curative properties. These latter uses were discontinued when the adverse effects of radium were discovered.

Radium needs to be handled and stored with extreme care. Exposure to radiation from this element can lead to sores on the skin and other health problems. If inhaled or ingested, radium can replace calcium in bone tissue and cause bone cancer.

Occurrence

Radium is a decay product of uranium and is therefore found in all uranium-bearing ores. It was originally acquired from pitchblende ore from Joachimsthal, Bohemia. (Seven metric tons of pitchblende yielded one gram of radium.) Some of this element can be obtained from the carnotite sands of Colorado, but there are richer ores in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes area of Canada. It can also be extracted from uranium processing waste. Large uranium deposits are located in Ontario (Canada), New Mexico and Utah (United States), Australia, and other parts of the world.

History

Radium (from the Latin word radius, meaning "ray") was discovered by Maria Skłodowska-Curie and her husband Pierre in 1898. The Curies were studying pitchblende, a variety of the uranium ore uraninite (mainly uranium dioxide, UO2) obtained from North Bohemia (area around Jáchymov). When they removed uranium from the ore, they found that the remaining material was still radioactive. They then separated out a radioactive mixture, consisting mostly of barium, which gave a brilliant red flame color and spectral lines that had never been documented before.

In 1902, Marie Curie and Andre Debierne isolated radium in its pure metallic form. Their method involved electrolysis of a solution of pure radium chloride, using a mercury cathode, and distillation of the product in an atmosphere of hydrogen gas.

Historically, the radioactive decay products of radium were labeled Radium A, B, C, and so forth (see Radioactivity below). These are now recognized as isotopes of other elements. On February 4, 1936, radium E became the first radioactive element to be made synthetically.

During the 1930s, it was found that workers exposed to radium when handling luminescent paints suffered from serious health problems, including sores, anemia, and bone cancer. This use of radium was stopped soon afterward. The reason for this problem is that the body treats radium as though it were calcium. Thus, radium becomes deposited in the bones, where radioactivity degrades the marrow and damages bone cells. Marie Curie's premature death has been attributed to her extensive work with radium.

Notable characteristics

Radium is the heaviest of the alkaline earth metals. It lies directly below barium in group 2 (former group 2A) of the periodic table, and its chemical properties therefore most closely resemble those of barium. In addition, it is placed in period 7, between francium and actinium.

Radium is intensely radioactive, emitting three types of radiation: alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. When mixed with beryllium, radium produces neutrons. Another remarkable property of radium preparations is that they keep themselves warmer than their surroundings.

Radium is luminescent, giving a faint blue color, and is slightly more volatile than barium. Like other alkaline earth metals, it reacts with water to form the hydroxide, which is alkaline.

Isotopes

Radium has 25 known isotopes, four of which—Ra-223, Ra-224, Ra-226, and Ra-228—are are found in nature and are generated by the decay of uranium or thorium. The common isotope is Ra-226, a product of U-238 decay. It is the longest-lived isotope of radium, with a half-life of 1,602 years. The next longest-lived isotope is Ra-228, a product of Th-232 breakdown, with a half-life of 6.7 years.

Radioactivity

Radium is over one million times more radioactive than the same mass of uranium. It loses about one percent of its activity in 25 years, being transformed into elements of lower atomic weight. The final product of disintegration is lead.

The decay of radium occurs in stages. The successive main products were called radium emanation (or exradio), radium A, radium B, radium C, and so forth. These products have been studied and are now known to be isotopes of other elements, as follows.

Radium emanation: radon-222
Radium A: polonium-218
Radium B: lead-214
Radium C: bismuth-214
Radium C1: polonium-214
Radium C2: thallium-210
Radium D: lead-210
Radium E: bismuth-210
Radium F: polonium-210

The SI unit of radioactivity is the becquerel (Bq), corresponding to one disintegration per second. The curie, a non-SI unit, is defined as the amount of radioactivity that has the same disintegration rate as 1 gram of Ra-226 (3.7 x 1010 disintegrations per second, or 37 GBq).

Compounds

Given that radium has a geologically short half-life and intense radioactivity, its naturally occurring compounds are quite rare, found almost exclusively in uranium ores. When the compounds are heated in a flame, the flame color turns crimson carmine (a rich red or crimson color, with a shade of purple), and they produce characteristic spectra.

Compounds of radium include its oxide (RaO), fluoride (RaF2), chloride (RaCl2), bromide (RaBr2), and iodide (RaI2). Of these, radium chloride was the first to be prepared in a pure state, and was the basis of Marie Curie's original separation of radium from barium.[1]

Applications

At the turn of the twentieth century, radium was a popular additive in products like toothpaste, hair creams, and even food items, based on its assumed curative powers. Such products soon fell out of vogue and were prohibited by authorities in many countries, after it was discovered they could have serious adverse health effects.

Until the 1950s, radium was used in self-luminous paints for watches, clocks, and instrument dials. Unfortunately, more than 100 former watch dial painters who used their lips to hold the paintbrush died from the radiation. Subsequently, this use was also discontinued. Nonetheless, objects with this paint may still be dangerous and must be handled properly. Currently, tritium (which also carries some risks) is used instead of radium, as it is considered safer than radium.

  • When mixed with beryllium, radium is a neutron source for physics experiments.
  • Radium (usually in the form of radium chloride) is used in medicine to produce radon gas, which in turn is used in treating cancer.
  • Radium-223 is currently under investigation for use as a treatment for bone cancer metastasis.
  • Spas featuring radium-rich water are still occasionally touted as beneficial, such as those in Misasa, Tottori, Japan.
  • The curie, a non-SI unit for radioactivity, is based on the radioactivity of radium-226 (see Radioactivity).

More recently, radium is being replaced by other radioisotopes—such as cobalt-60 and cesium-137—when there is a need for radioactive sources that are safer to handle or those that emit more powerful radiation.

Precautions

Radium is highly radioactive and its decay product, radon gas, is also radioactive. The energy emitted by the radioactive decay of radium ionizes gases, affects photographic plates, causes sores on the skin, and produces many other detrimental effects. As radium is chemically similar to calcium, it can potentially replace calcium in bone tissue, causing great harm. Inhalation, injection, ingestion, or body exposure to radium can cause cancer and other body disorders. Stored radium should be properly ventilated, to prevent the accumulation of radon.

See also

Notes

  1. Marie Curie and Andre Debierne, C. R. Hebd. Acad. Sci. Paris 151 (1910):523–25.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Clark, Claudia. 1987. Radium Girls: Women and Industrial Health Reform, 1910-1935. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0807846406.
  • Grady, Denise. "A Glow in the Dark, and a Lesson in Scientific Peril" The New York Times on the Web. Retrieved December 17, 2006.
  • Radium Los Alamos National Laboratory. Retrieved October 9, 2006.
  • Macklis, R.M. 1993. "The great radium scandal." Scientific American 269(2): 94-99.
  • Stwertka, Albert. 1998. Guide to the Elements (Revised Edition). Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195080831.

External links

All links retrieved December 7, 2022.

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