Table of Contents
What is Californium? ; Physical Properties of Californium ;
Uses of Californium
Californium is a synthetic element with the symbol Cf and atomic number 98. It is a radioactive metal that is produced artificially. Californium is a silver-white metal that is very soft and has a low melting point. It is not found naturally on Earth.
Californium is used in some smoke detectors and in some radiation therapy treatments.
Properties of Californium
Californium is a synthetic element with the symbol Cf and atomic number 98. It is a radioactive metal that occurs in nature only in trace amounts. Californium was first produced in 1950 by bombarding curium with alpha particles.
Californium is a silver-white metal that is very brittle and has a low melting point. It has a density of about 8.9 grams per cubic centimeter and a Mohs hardness of 2.5. It is a relatively poor conductor of heat and electricity.
Californium undergoes radioactive decay, emitting alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. The most common isotope of californium, californium-252, has a half-life of about 2.645 years.
Chemical Properties of Californium
Californium is a radioactive element that has a silver-white color. It is a member of the actinide series of elements and has the symbol Cf. It is the only element in this series that is not a metal. Californium has a very low melting point and a high vapor pressure. It is also very radioactive, with a half-life of only about 26 years.
Occurrence of Californium -252
Californium-252 is a radioactive isotope of Californium that is produced in nuclear reactors. It is used in radiation therapy to treat cancer.
Health Effects of Californium
There is currently no known health effects of Californium.
Californium Uses
The primary use of Californium is in research and development. It is used to study the properties of materials at very high temperatures and pressures. It is also used to produce neutrons for research purposes.
