Polonium-210

 

What is polonium? A fatal element. Was discovered by Marie Curie and Pierre Curie in 1898. Polonium-210 mass number: 210, atomic number: 84, protons: 84, electrons: 84, and neutrons: 126. Its location on the Periodic table is group 16, period 6. Polonium-210 (Po-210) is a silver-colored metal found in uranium ores. It is one of 25 radioactive isotopes of polonium. Po-210 has a half-life of 138.376 days, spin parity: 0+, and abundance:% A=100. It occurs naturally and is present in the environment at extremely low concentrations. The uses of polonium is still providing police with their best clues. In machinery where it can be used in causes such as paper rolling, manufacturing sheet plastics, and spinning synthetic fibers. Brushes containing Po-210 are used to remove accumulated dust from photographic films and camera lenses.

Work-Sited:

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/Issues/2007/January/Polonium210.asp
http://ie.lbl.gov/education/parent/Po_iso.htm
http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Factsheets/English/polonium210.html
http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele084.html
http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/84/polonium
Pictures:
http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2011/ph241/yemane2/
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/Issues/2007/January/Polonium210.asp