Radium definition

Radium





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7 definitions found

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

  Radium \Ra`di*um\ (r[=a]"d[i^]*[u^]m), n. [NL., fr. L. radius
     ray.] (Chem.)
     An intensely radioactive metallic element found (combined) in
     minute quantities in pitchblende, and various other uranium
     minerals. Symbol, Ra; atomic weight, 226.4. Radium was
     discovered by M. and Mme. Curie, of Paris, who in 1902


     separated compounds of it by a tedious process from
     pitchblende. Its compounds color flames carmine and give a
     characteristic spectrum. It is divalent, resembling barium
     chemically. The main isotope of radium found in pitchblende,
     radium-226, has a half-life of 1620 years, decaying first by
     alpha emission to {radon}.
  
     Note: Radium preparations are remarkable for maintaining
           themselves at a higher temperature than their
           surroundings, and for their radiations, which are of
           three kinds: alpha rays, beta rays, and gamma rays (see
           these terms). The beta and gamma rays seen in radium
           preparations are in fact due to disintegration of decay
           products of radium rather than the radium itself. By
           reason of these rays they ionize gases, affect
           photographic plates, cause sores on the skin, and
           produce many other striking effects. Their degree of
           activity depends on the proportion of radium present,
           but not on its state of chemical combination or on
           external conditions. The radioactivity of radium is
           therefore an atomic property, and is due to an inherent
           instability of the atomic nucleus which causes its
           decay in a process whose rate is first order. The
           disintegration of the radium nucleus is only the first
           in a series of nuclear disintegrations leading to
           production of a series of elements and isotopes. The
           chain has at least seven stages; the successive main
           products have been studied and are {radon}, a gaseous
           radioactive element belonging chemically to the inert
           noble gas series (originally called radium emanation or
           exradio, radium A, radium B, radium C, etc. The
           successive products are unstable isotopes of several
           different elements, each with an atomic weight a little
           lower than its predecessor. Lead is the stable end
           product. At the same time, the light gas helium is
           formed, being generated when the expelled alpha
           particles (positively charged helium nuclei) acquire
           electrons. Radium, in turn, is formed in the
           pitchblende ore by a slow disintegration of uranium.
           Natural radium and also an isotope (radium-228, also
           called mesothorium I) formed by the decay of thorium,
           were at one time used to make a luminous paint for
           watch dials, until the danger of the radioactivity
           became fully appreciated, and use of such material in
           watches was discontinued. See also {mesothorium}.
           [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  radium
       n : an intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in
           minute amounts in uranium ores [syn: {Ra}, {atomic number
           88}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  45 Moby Thesaurus words for "radium":
     acid, actual cautery, americium, astatine, atomic cocktail,
     berkelium, brand, brand iron, branding iron, caustic, cauter,
     cauterant, cauterizer, cautery, cobalt, corrosive, curium,
     einsteinium, electrocautery, escharotic, fermium, francium,
     hahnium, hot iron, lunar caustic, mendelevium, mordant, moxa,
     neptunium, plutonium, polonium, potential cautery, promethium,
     protactinium, radiocalcium, radiocarbon, radioelement, radioiodine,
     radioisotope, radiosodium, radon, tagged element, technetium,
     tracer, uranium
  
  

From Elements database 20001107 [elements]:

  radium
  Symbol: Ra
  Atomic number: 88
  Atomic weight: (226)
  Radioactive metallic transuranic element, belongs to group 2 of the
  periodic table. Most stable isotope, Ra-226 has a half-life of 1602 years,
  which decays into radon. Isolated from pitchblende in 1898 Marie and
  Pierre Curie.
  
  

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  RADIUM, n.  A mineral that gives off heat and stimulates the organ
  that a scientist is a fool with.
  
  

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Radium, KS (city, FIPS 58300)
    Location: 38.17369 N, 98.89386 W
    Population (1990): 47 (23 housing units)
    Area: 0.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
    Zip code(s): 67550
  Radium, MN
    Zip code(s): 56762

From U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000) [gaz-place]:

  Radium, KS -- U.S. city in Kansas
     Population (2000):    40
     Housing Units (2000): 19
     Land area (2000):     0.041442 sq. miles (0.107335 sq. km)
     Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
     Total area (2000):    0.041442 sq. miles (0.107335 sq. km)
     FIPS code:            58300
     Located within:       Kansas (KS), FIPS 20
     Location:             38.173698 N, 98.894222 W
     ZIP Codes (1990):     67550
     Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
     Headwords:
      Radium, KS
      Radium
  

















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