Barium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pronunciation | /ˈbɛəriəm/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appearance | silvery gray; with a pale yellow tint [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Standard atomic weight Ar°(Ba) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Barium in the periodic table | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Atomic number (Z) | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Group | group 2 (alkaline earth metals) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Period | period 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Block | s-block | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electron configuration | [ Xe ] 6s2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrons per shell | 2, 8, 18, 18, 8, 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Physical properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Phase at STP | solid | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Melting point | 1000 K (727 °C,1341 °F) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boiling point | 2118 K(1845 °C,3353 °F) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Density (at 20° C) | 3.594 g/cm3 [4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
when liquid (at m.p.) | 3.338 g/cm3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Heat of fusion | 7.12 kJ/mol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Heat of vaporization | 142 kJ/mol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Molar heat capacity | 28.07 J/(mol·K) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vapor pressure
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Atomic properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oxidation states | common: +2 +1 [5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electronegativity | Pauling scale: 0.89 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ionization energies |
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Atomic radius | empirical:222 pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Covalent radius | 215±11 pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Van der Waals radius | 268 pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Natural occurrence | primordial | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Crystal structure | body-centered cubic (bcc)(cI2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lattice constant | a = 502.5 pm (at 20 °C) [4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thermal expansion | 20.47×10−6/K (at 20 °C) [4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thermal conductivity | 18.4 W/(m⋅K) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrical resistivity | 332 nΩ⋅m(at 20 °C) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Magnetic ordering | paramagnetic [6] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Molar magnetic susceptibility | +20.6×10−6 cm3/mol [7] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Young's modulus | 13 GPa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shear modulus | 4.9 GPa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulk modulus | 9.6 GPa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Speed of sound thin rod | 1620 m/s(at 20 °C) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mohs hardness | 1.25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CAS Number | 7440-39-3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Discovery | Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1772) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First isolation | Humphry Davy (1808) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Isotopes of barium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Barium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in group 2 and is a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal. Because of its high chemical reactivity, barium is never found in nature as a free element.
The most common minerals of barium are barite (barium sulfate, BaSO4) and witherite (barium carbonate, BaCO3). The name barium originates from the alchemical derivative "baryta", from Greek βαρὺς (barys), meaning 'heavy'. Baric is the adjectival form of barium. Barium was identified as a new element in 1772, but not reduced to a metal until 1808 with the advent of electrolysis.
Barium has few industrial applications. Historically, it was used as a getter for vacuum tubes and in oxide form as the emissive coating on indirectly heated cathodes. It is a component of YBCO (high-temperature superconductors) and electroceramics, and is added to steel and cast iron to reduce the size of carbon grains within the microstructure. Barium compounds are added to fireworks to impart a green color. Barium sulfate is used as an insoluble additive to oil well drilling fluid. In a purer form it is used as X-ray radiocontrast agents for imaging the human gastrointestinal tract. Water-soluble barium compounds are poisonous and have been used as rodenticides.
Barium is a soft, silvery-white metal, with a slight golden shade when ultrapure. [9] : 2 The silvery-white color of barium metal rapidly vanishes upon oxidation in air yielding a dark gray layer containing the oxide. Barium has a medium specific weight and high electrical conductivity. Because barium is difficult to purify, many of its properties have not been accurately determined. [9] : 2
At room temperature and pressure, barium metal adopts a body-centered cubic structure, with a barium–barium distance of 503 picometers, expanding with heating at a rate of approximately 1.8×10−5/°C. [9] : 2 It is a soft metal with a Mohs hardness of 1.25. [9] : 2 Its melting temperature of 1,000 K (730 °C; 1,340 °F) [10] : 4–43 is intermediate between those of the lighter strontium (1,050 K or 780 °C or 1,430 °F) [10] : 4–86 and heavier radium (973 K or 700 °C or 1,292 °F); [10] : 4–78 however, its boiling point of 2,170 K (1,900 °C; 3,450 °F) exceeds that of strontium (1,655 K or 1,382 °C or 2,519 °F). [10] : 4–86 The density (3.62 g/cm3) [10] : 4–43 is again intermediate between those of strontium (2.36 g/cm3) [10] : 4–86 and radium (≈5 g/cm3). [10] : 4–78
Barium is chemically similar to magnesium, calcium, and strontium, but more reactive. Its compounds are almost invariably found in the +2 oxidation state. As expected for a highly electropositive metal, barium's reaction with chalcogens is highly exothermic (release energy). Barium reacts with atmospheric oxygen in air at room temperature. For this reason, metallic barium is often stored under oil or in an inert atmosphere. [9] : 2 Reactions with other nonmetals, such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon, and hydrogen, proceed upon heating. [9] : 2–3 Reactions with water and alcohols are also exothermic and release hydrogen gas: [9] : 3
Barium reacts with ammonia to form the electride [Ba(NH3)6](e−)2, which near room temperature gives the amide Ba(NH2)2. [11]
The metal is readily attacked by acids. Sulfuric acid is a notable exception because passivation stops the reaction by forming the insoluble barium sulfate on the surface. [12] Barium combines with several other metals, including aluminium, zinc, lead, and tin, forming intermetallic phases and alloys. [13]
O2− | S2− | F− | Cl− | SO2− 4 | CO2− 3 | O2− 2 | H− | |
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Ca2+ [10] : 4–48–50 | 3.34 | 2.59 | 3.18 | 2.15 | 2.96 | 2.83 | 2.9 | 1.7 |
Sr2+ [10] : 4–86–88 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 4.24 | 3.05 | 3.96 | 3.5 | 4.78 | 3.26 |
Ba2+ [10] : 4–43–45 | 5.72 | 4.3 | 4.89 | 3.89 | 4.49 | 4.29 | 4.96 | 4.16 |
Zn2+ [10] : 4–95–96 | 5.6 | 4.09 | 4.95 | 2.09 | 3.54 | 4.4 | 1.57 | — |
Barium salts are typically white when solid and colorless when dissolved. [14] They are denser than the strontium or calcium analogs, except for the halides (see table; zinc is given for comparison).
Barium hydroxide ("baryta") was known to alchemists, who produced it by heating barium carbonate. Unlike calcium hydroxide, it absorbs very little CO2 in aqueous solutions and is therefore insensitive to atmospheric fluctuations. This property is used in calibrating pH equipment.
Barium compounds burn with a green to pale green flame, which is an efficient test to detect a barium compound. The color results from spectral lines at 455.4, 493.4, 553.6, and 611.1 nm. [9] : 3
Organobarium compounds are a growing field of knowledge: recently discovered are dialkylbariums and alkylhalobariums. [9] : 3
Barium found in the Earth's crust is a mixture of seven primordial nuclides, barium-130, 132, and 134 through 138. [15] Barium-130 undergoes very slow radioactive decay to xenon-130 by double beta plus decay, with a half-life of (0.5–2.7)×1021 years (about 1011 times the age of the universe). Its abundance is ≈0.1% that of natural barium. [15] Theoretically, barium-132 can similarly undergo double beta decay to xenon-132; this decay has not been detected. [16] The radioactivity of these isotopes is so weak that they pose no danger to life.
Of the stable isotopes, barium-138 composes 71.7% of all barium; other isotopes have decreasing abundance with decreasing mass number. [15]
In total, barium has 40 known isotopes, ranging in mass between 114 and 153. The most stable artificial radioisotope is barium-133 with a half-life of approximately 10.51 years. Five other isotopes have half-lives longer than a day. [16] Barium also has 10 meta states, of which barium-133m1 is the most stable with a half-life of about 39 hours. [16]
Alchemists in the early Middle Ages knew about some barium minerals. Smooth pebble-like stones of mineral baryte were found in volcanic rock near Bologna, Italy, and so were called "Bologna stones". Alchemists were attracted to them because after exposure to light they would glow for years. [17] The phosphorescent properties of baryte heated with organics were described by V. Casciorolus in 1602. [9] : 5
Carl Scheele determined that baryte contained a new element in 1772, but could not isolate barium, only barium oxide. Johan Gottlieb Gahn also isolated barium oxide two years later in similar studies. Oxidized barium was at first called "barote" by Guyton de Morveau, a name that was changed by Antoine Lavoisier to baryte (in French) or baryta (in Latin). Also in the 18th century, English mineralogist William Withering noted a heavy mineral in the lead mines of Cumberland, now known to be witherite. Barium was first isolated by electrolysis of molten barium salts in 1808 by Sir Humphry Davy in England. [18] Davy, by analogy with calcium, named "barium" after baryta, with the "-ium" ending signifying a metallic element. [17] Robert Bunsen and Augustus Matthiessen obtained pure barium by electrolysis of a molten mixture of barium chloride and ammonium chloride. [19] [20]
The production of pure oxygen in the Brin process was a large-scale application of barium peroxide in the 1880s, before it was replaced by electrolysis and fractional distillation of liquefied air in the early 1900s. In this process barium oxide reacts at 500–600 °C (932–1,112 °F) with air to form barium peroxide, which decomposes above 700 °C (1,292 °F) by releasing oxygen: [21] [22]
Barium sulfate was first applied as a radiocontrast agent in X-ray imaging of the digestive system in 1908. [23]
The abundance of barium is 0.0425% in the Earth's crust and 13 μg/L in sea water. The primary commercial source of barium is baryte (also called barytes or heavy spar), a barium sulfate mineral. [9] : 5 with deposits in many parts of the world. Another commercial source, far less important than baryte, is witherite, barium carbonate. The main deposits are located in Britain, Romania, and the former USSR. [9] : 5
The baryte reserves are estimated between 0.7 and 2 billion tonnes. The highest production, 8.3 million tonnes, was achieved in 1981, but only 7–8% was used for barium metal or compounds. [9] : 5 Baryte production has risen since the second half of the 1990s from 5.6 million tonnes in 1996 to 7.6 in 2005 and 7.8 in 2011. China accounts for more than 50% of this output, followed by India (14% in 2011), Morocco (8.3%), US (8.2%), Iran and Kazakhstan (2.6% each) and Turkey (2.5%). [24]
The mined ore is washed, crushed, classified, and separated from quartz. If the quartz penetrates too deeply into the ore, or the iron, zinc, or lead content is abnormally high, then froth flotation is used. The product is a 98% pure baryte (by mass); the purity should be no less than 95%, with a minimal content of iron and silicon dioxide. [9] : 7 It is then reduced by carbon to barium sulfide: [9] : 6
The water-soluble barium sulfide is the starting point for other compounds: treating BaS with oxygen produces the sulfate, with nitric acid the nitrate, with aqueous carbon dioxide the carbonate, and so on. [9] : 6 The nitrate can be thermally decomposed to yield the oxide. [9] : 6 Barium metal is produced by reduction with aluminium at 1,100 °C (2,010 °F). The intermetallic compound BaAl4 is produced first: [9] : 3
BaAl4 is an intermediate reacted with barium oxide to produce the metal. Note that not all barium is reduced. [9] : 3
The remaining barium oxide reacts with the formed aluminium oxide: [9] : 3
and the overall reaction is [9] : 3
Barium vapor is condensed and packed into molds in an atmosphere of argon. [9] : 3 This method is used commercially, yielding ultrapure barium. [9] : 3 Commonly sold barium is about 99% pure, with main impurities being strontium and calcium (up to 0.8% and 0.25%) and other contaminants contributing less than 0.1%. [9] : 4
A similar reaction with silicon at 1,200 °C (2,190 °F) yields barium and barium metasilicate. [9] : 3 Electrolysis is not used because barium readily dissolves in molten halides and the product is rather impure. [9] : 3
The barium mineral, benitoite (barium titanium silicate), occurs as a very rare blue fluorescent gemstone, and is the official state gem of California.
Barium exists in seawater as the Ba2+ ion with an average oceanic concentration of 109 nmol/kg. [25] Barium also exists in the ocean as BaSO4, or barite. [26] Barium has a nutrient-like profile [27] with a residence time of 10,000 years. [25]
Barium shows a relatively consistent concentration in upper ocean seawater, excepting regions of high river inputs and regions with strong upwelling. [28] There is little depletion of barium concentrations in the upper ocean for an ion with a nutrient-like profile, thus lateral mixing is important. [28] Barium isotopic values show basin-scale balances instead of local or short-term processes. [28]
Barium, as a metal or when alloyed with aluminium, is used to remove unwanted gases (gettering) from vacuum tubes, such as TV picture tubes. [9] : 4 Barium is suitable for this purpose because of its low vapor pressure and reactivity towards oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water; it can even partly remove noble gases by dissolving them in the crystal lattice. This application is gradually disappearing due to the rising popularity of the tubeless LCD, LED, and plasma sets. [9] : 4
Other uses of elemental barium are minor and include an additive to silumin (aluminium–silicon alloys) that refines their structure, as well as [9] : 4
Barium sulfate (the mineral baryte, BaSO4) is important to the petroleum industry as a drilling fluid in oil and gas wells. [10] : 4–5 The precipitate of the compound (called "blanc fixe", from the French for "permanent white") is used in paints and varnishes; as a filler in ringing ink, plastics, and rubbers; as a paper coating pigment; and in nanoparticles, to improve physical properties of some polymers, such as epoxies. [9] : 9
Barium sulfate has a low toxicity and relatively high density of ca. 4.5 g/cm3 (and thus opacity to X-rays). For this reason it is used as a radiocontrast agent in X-ray imaging of the digestive system ("barium meals" and "barium enemas"). [10] : 4–5 Lithopone, a pigment that contains barium sulfate and zinc sulfide, is a permanent white with good covering power that does not darken when exposed to sulfides. [29]
Other compounds of barium find only niche applications, limited by the toxicity of Ba2+ ions (barium carbonate is a rat poison), which is not a problem for the insoluble BaSO4.
The lateral mixing of barium is caused by water mass mixing and ocean circulation. [35] Global ocean circulation reveals a strong correlation between dissolved barium and silicic acid. [35] The large-scale ocean circulation combined with remineralization of barium show a similar correlation between dissolved barium and ocean alkalinity. [35]
Dissolved barium's correlation with silicic acid can be seen both vertically and spatially. [36] Particulate barium shows a strong correlation with particulate organic carbon or POC. [36] Barium is becoming more popular as a base for palaeoceanographic proxies. [36] With both dissolved and particulate barium's links with silicic acid and POC, it can be used to determine historical variations in the biological pump, carbon cycle, and global climate. [36]
The barium particulate barite (BaSO4), as one of many proxies, can be used to provide a host of historical information on processes in different oceanic settings (water column, sediments, and hydrothermal sites). [26] In each setting there are differences in isotopic and elemental composition of the barite particulate. [26] Barite in the water column, known as marine or pelagic barite, reveals information on seawater chemistry variation over time. [26] Barite in sediments, known as diagenetic or cold seeps barite, gives information about sedimentary redox processes. [26] Barite formed via hydrothermal activity at hydrothermal vents, known as hydrothermal barite, reveals alterations in the condition of the earth's crust around those vents. [26]
Hazards | |
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GHS labelling: [37] | |
Danger | |
H228, H260, H301, H314 | |
P210, P231+P232, P260, P280, P303+P361+P353, P304+P340+P310, P305+P351+P338 | |
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) |
Soluble barium compounds have LD50 near 10 mg/kg (oral rats). Symptoms include "convulsions... paralysis of the peripheral nerve system ... severe inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract". [9] : 18 The insoluble sulfate is nontoxic and is not classified as a dangerous goods in transport regulations. [9] : 9
Little is known about the long term effects of barium exposure. [38] The US EPA considers it unlikely that barium is carcinogenic when consumed orally. Inhaled dust containing insoluble barium compounds can accumulate in the lungs, causing a benign condition called baritosis. [39]
Calcium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to its heavier homologues strontium and barium. It is the fifth most abundant element in Earth's crust, and the third most abundant metal, after iron and aluminium. The most common calcium compound on Earth is calcium carbonate, found in limestone and the fossilized remnants of early sea life; gypsum, anhydrite, fluorite, and apatite are also sources of calcium. The name derives from Latin calx "lime", which was obtained from heating limestone.
Strontium is a chemical element; it has symbol Sr and atomic number 38. An alkaline earth metal, strontium is a soft silver-white yellowish metallic element that is highly chemically reactive. The metal forms a dark oxide layer when it is exposed to air. Strontium has physical and chemical properties similar to those of its two vertical neighbors in the periodic table, calcium and barium. It occurs naturally mainly in the minerals celestine and strontianite, and is mostly mined from these.
The alkaline earth metals are six chemical elements in group 2 of the periodic table. They are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra). The elements have very similar properties: they are all shiny, silvery-white, somewhat reactive metals at standard temperature and pressure.
Baryte, barite or barytes ( BARR-eyet, BAIR- or bə-RYTE-eez) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate (BaSO4). Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine (strontium sulfate), anglesite (lead sulfate), and anhydrite (calcium sulfate). Baryte and celestine form a solid solution (Ba,Sr)SO4.
Lead(II) sulfate (PbSO4) is a white solid, which appears white in microcrystalline form. It is also known as fast white, milk white, sulfuric acid lead salt or anglesite.
Zinc sulfate is an inorganic compound with the formula ZnSO4. It forms hydrates ZnSO4·nH2O, where n can range from 0 to 7. All are colorless solids. The most common form includes water of crystallization as the heptahydrate, with the formula ZnSO4·7H2O. As early as the 16th century it was prepared on a large scale, and was historically known as "white vitriol" (the name was used, for example, in 1620s by the collective writing under the pseudonym of Basil Valentine). Zinc sulfate and its hydrates are colourless solids.
Barium hydroxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Ba(OH)2. The monohydrate (x = 1), known as baryta or baryta-water, is one of the principal compounds of barium. This white granular monohydrate is the usual commercial form.
Barium sulfate (or sulphate) is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula BaSO4. It is a white crystalline solid that is odorless and insoluble in water. It occurs in nature as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of barium and materials prepared from it. Its opaque white appearance and its high density are exploited in its main applications.
Barium carbonate is the inorganic compound with the formula BaCO3. Like most alkaline earth metal carbonates, it is a white salt that is poorly soluble in water. It occurs as the mineral known as witherite. In a commercial sense, it is one of the most important barium compounds.
Barium chloride is an inorganic compound with the formula BaCl2. It is one of the most common water-soluble salts of barium. Like most other water-soluble barium salts, it is a white powder, highly toxic, and imparts a yellow-green coloration to a flame. It is also hygroscopic, converting to the dihydrate BaCl2·2H2O, which are colourless crystals with a bitter salty taste. It has limited use in the laboratory and industry.
The important sulfur cycle is a biogeochemical cycle in which the sulfur moves between rocks, waterways and living systems. It is important in geology as it affects many minerals and in life because sulfur is an essential element (CHNOPS), being a constituent of many proteins and cofactors, and sulfur compounds can be used as oxidants or reductants in microbial respiration. The global sulfur cycle involves the transformations of sulfur species through different oxidation states, which play an important role in both geological and biological processes. Steps of the sulfur cycle are:
Permanganic acid (or manganic(VII) acid) is the inorganic compound with the formula HMnO4 and various hydrates. This strong oxoacid has been isolated as its dihydrate. It is the conjugate acid of permanganate salts. It is the subject of few publications and its characterization as well as its uses are very limited.
Barium sulfide is the inorganic compound with the formula BaS. BaS is the barium compound produced on the largest scale. It is an important precursor to other barium compounds including BaCO3 and the pigment lithopone, ZnS/BaSO4. Like other chalcogenides of the alkaline earth metals, BaS is a short wavelength emitter for electronic displays. It is colorless, although like many sulfides, it is commonly obtained in impure colored forms.
Barium peroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula BaO2. This white solid is one of the most common inorganic peroxides, and it was the first peroxide compound discovered. Being an oxidizer and giving a vivid green colour upon ignition, it finds some use in fireworks; historically, it was also used as a precursor for hydrogen peroxide.
Strontium carbonate (SrCO3) is the carbonate salt of strontium that has the appearance of a white or grey powder. It occurs in nature as the mineral strontianite.
Strontium sulfate (SrSO4) is the sulfate salt of strontium. It is a white crystalline powder and occurs in nature as the mineral celestine. It is poorly soluble in water to the extent of 1 part in 8,800. It is more soluble in dilute HCl and nitric acid and appreciably soluble in alkali chloride solutions (e.g. sodium chloride).
Barium ferrate is the chemical compound of formula BaFeO4. This is a rare compound containing iron in the +6 oxidation state. The ferrate(VI) ion has two unpaired electrons, making it paramagnetic. It is isostructural with BaSO4, and contains the tetrahedral [FeO4]2− anion.
Radium compounds are compounds containing the element radium (Ra). Due to radium's radioactivity, not many compounds have been well characterized. Solid radium compounds are white as radium ions provide no specific coloring, but they gradually turn yellow and then dark over time due to self-radiolysis from radium's alpha decay. Insoluble radium compounds coprecipitate with all barium, most strontium, and most lead compounds.