Ra Radium     Atomic number : 88 
    Relative atomic mass (12C = 12.0000) :  226.0254 (Ra-226) 
    P H Y S I C A L     D A T A
Group 2 alkaline earth metal
 
Density / kg m-3 :  c. 5000 [293 K]
 
Melting point / K :  973 
 
Boiling point / K :  1413
 
    D I S C O V E R Y
Radium was discovered in 1898 by Pierre and Marie Curie at Paris, France. Isolated as the metal by Mme. Curie in 1911 by the electrolysis of RaCl2.
 
    G E O L O G I C A L     D A T A
Abundances
 
Sun (relative to H = 1 × 1012) : n.a.
 
Earth's crust / p.p.m. : 6 × 10-7
 
Oxidation state : II
 
  
 
Seawater / p.p.m. : 2 × 10-11
    B I O L O G I C A L     D A T A
Level in humans
 
Blood / mg dm-3 : 6.6 × 10-9
 
Bone / p.p.m. : 4 × 10-9
 
Liver / p.p.m. : 0.023 × 10-9
 
Muscle / p.p.m. : 0.23 × 10-9
 
  
 
Daily dietary intake : 2 × 10-9 mg
 
Total mass of element
in average (70 kg) person :
31 × 10-9 mg

 

NetElements II  

A portrait of radium is available on the Visual Elements site. Up to 200 individual items of information on this element are available in The Elements.


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NetElements II last modified October 27th, 1999