Barium Element Properties and Information
Barium Element Properties and Information
Barium is 56th element on the periodic table. Elements are arranged in the periodic table on the basis of the atomic number. Atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom. Barium has an atomic number of 56. It is located in the Group 2 and Period 6 of the periodic table of elements. It is denoted by Ba. The name is derived from the Greek word ‘Barys’ which means Heavy.
Carl Sheele investigated Bologna stone in 1760s and realized that it contains a sulfate of an unknown element. That unknown element was Barium, the credit of separating that metal from other compounds is given to Humphry Davy in 1808.
Barium occurs in combination with other elements in nature. It does not occur separately. Barium makes up about 0.0425% of Earth’s crust.
Physical Properties
- Barium is a soft metal which usually appears silvery-white in colour. Ultrapure barium has an added golden shade to it.
- The atomic mass of barium is 137.33
- The melting point of barium is 725°C
- The boiling point of barium is 1640°C
- The density of barium is 3500 in S.I. units at 20°C
- Barium has 7 primordial isotopes and 40 known isotopes. The most abundant stable isotope is barium-138.
Chemical Properties
- Barium reacts easily with oxygen or air at room temperature.
- Barium releases lots of energy when reacted with chalcogens. It is a highly exothermic reaction.
- Barium metal is easily attacked by acids. Sulphuric acid is an exception because when barium is exposed to this acid then an insoluble passivation layer of barium oxide forms on the surface of the metal which stops further reaction.
Methods of Production
From Baryte: Baryte is a barium sulfite mineral which serves as primary source for barium production worldwide. The ore is first preprocessed and purified enough so as to contain 98% pure baryte. Reducing it with carbon produces barium sulfide which serves as starting compound for producing various barium based compounds. In order to get barium as metal, the barium sulfide is treated with nitric acid to produce barium nitrate. This nitrate is further decomposed to yield barium oxide. The barium oxide is reduced with aluminum which results in precipitation of barium.
Relevance in chemical and Related Industries
- Alloy: Barium is primarily alloyed with aluminum; the alloy is used to remove unwanted gases from vacuum tubes.
- Petroleum industry: The barium sulfate is used as a drilling fluid.
Relevance in Other Industries
- Fireworks: Barium nitrate imparts an apple green colour and barium monochloride imparts brilliant green colour.
- Optics: Barium fluoride is used in infrared applications because it offers wide transparency range of 0.15-0.2 micrometers.
Health Effects on Exposure
Water-soluble barium compounds: Exposure to small amounts of water-soluble barium compounds are observed to cause breathing difficulties, increased blood pressure, stomach irritation, muscle weakness, and brain, liver, and kidney damage.
Effects on Surroundings
- Water-soluble barium compounds: These compounds can be consumed by fishes along with water thus getting accumulated within the bodies.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium
