Wikijunior:The Elements/Radium

Freshly prepared or newly isolated radium is silvery-white. When exposed to nitrogen and oxygen in the air, it quickly forms a black coat of radium nitride which dulls its appearance. This reaction creates an oxidized or degraded form of radium.

Radium is extremely radioactive, so it is rarely handled in its pure metallic form. Scientists learn about radium by studying its compounds, which are safer to handle.

Radium’s intense radioactivity excites nearby particles causing a faint blue glow in the dark. This phenomenon is called radioluminescence.

Radium is likely soft and malleable like the other alkaline earth metals. It would be very dangerous to touch radium.

No one should ever taste radium. Drinking so called “health tonics” in the early 20^th century led to serious health problems. People became anemic, fractured bones, and fell ill with cancer. The most famous result of tasting radium is documented in the story of the Radium Girls. They were factory workers who shaped watch dials with their lips. The dials were covered with radium-laced paint which made them sick.

Radium itself does not have a smell. It decays to form radon gas which is odorless and radioactive. Radon gas is very harmful if inhaled.

It was discovered by Pierre and Marie Curie in 1898. They were investigating the mineral pitchblende (uraninite).

Pitchblende turned out to be highly radioactive. Radioactive means its energy could move through space, air, or even solid things. The pitchblende was more radioactive than just uranium would make it. The Curies hypothesized it contained other radioactive elements. They found the pitchblende contained both polonium and radium. Both were new radioactive elements.

This word was created by the word “Radius" in Latin word and it means ray, they created this name after they saw the rays glow from the element

Radium was first found in Bohemia in the rich pitchblende ore. Some can also be found in the Carnotite sands of Colorado, although richer supplies exist in regions of Zaire, Africa and the Great Bear Lake region of Canada.

In the past, radium was thought to be safe. It was added to toothpaste, hair products, chocolate bars, bread, and energy drinks. Until the early 1970s, it was used to make “glow in the dark” items such as clock dials, wrist watches, toys, and ceramics. Although such items no longer glow, the radium on them stays radioactive for thousands of years.

Radium compounds are used in modern medicine to treat certain types of cancer. They are used in environmental studies, oceanography, and archeology.

Radium emits alpha, beta, and gamma radiation causing damage to cells, tissues, and bones. This property makes radium dangerous, not its chemical reactivity.

If inhaled or ingested, radium dust can damage internal organs.

Short-term contact with small amounts of radium will not usually cause harm. But being around low levels for a long time can raise the risk of getting sick. Miners might be exposed to radium over time because some rocks contain uranium. Lab workers who handle radioactive materials, and employees in the nuclear industry may be at risk. Such workers need to follow safe procedures and wear special protective clothing when working.

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