Radium

Radium is a chemical element with the symbol Ra and atomic number 88. It is a pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226.

History

Radium was discovered by Marie Curie and Pierre Curie on December 21, 1898. It was extracted from the uranium ore pitchblende (uraninite) and, along with polonium, was the first radioactive element to be discovered. The Curies' studies of the radioactivity of radium led to the development of radiotherapy for cancer treatment.

Properties and Uses

Radium is a heavy, silvery-white metal that is highly radioactive. It is used in medicine to produce radon gas, which in turn is used as a cancer treatment. However, its use has declined due to the recognition of the health risks associated with unnecessary radiation exposure.

Health Effects

Exposure to radium can have serious health effects, including anemia, cancer, and genetic mutations. The radiation emitted by radium can cause damage to tissues and DNA, leading to health problems such as bone cancer and leukemia.

See Also

• Radioactivity
• Marie Curie
• Pierre Curie
• Uranium
• Polonium
• Radiotherapy
• Anemia
• Cancer
• Genetic mutation

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Radium

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  Radium 226 radiation source
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  Decay chain (4n+2, Uranium series)
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  Curie and radium by Castaigne
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  US radium standard 1927
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  Radium 2
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  WWI German altimeter radium painted
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  Radior cosmetics containing radium 1918
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  Památník objevu radia v Jáchymově