Barium

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Barium \Ba"ri*um\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. bary`s heavy.] (Chem.)
     One of the elements, belonging to the alkaline earth group; a
     metal having a silver-white color, and melting at a very high
     temperature. It is difficult to obtain the pure metal, from
     the facility with which it becomes oxidized in the air.
     Atomic weight, 137. Symbol, Ba. Its oxide called baryta.


     [Rarely written {barytum}.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Some of the compounds of this element are remarkable
           for their high specific gravity, as the sulphate,
           called heavy spar, and the like. The oxide was called
           barote, by Guyton de Morveau, which name was changed by
           Lavoisier to baryta, whence the name of the metal.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  barium
       n : a soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group;
           found in barite [syn: {Ba}, {atomic number 56}]

From Elements database 20001107 [elements]:

  barium
  Symbol: Ba
  Atomic number: 56
  Atomic weight: 137.34
  Silvery-white reactive element, belonging to group 2 of the periodic
  table. Soluble barium compounds are extremely poisonous. Identified in
  1774 by Karl Scheele and extracted in 1808 by Humphry Davy.