Polonium By: oliver abushacra
What is polonium and what are it's properties
Polonium or 210 was discovered by Marie Sklodowska Curie in 1898. It has an atomic number of 84 and an atomic mass of 209, it very much resembles silver in appearance and, it is a metalloid. She found it in a pitchblende when she was comparing the pitchblende to the uranium. She realized the unrefined pitchblende was more radioactive than the uranium. It turned out that the unrefined pitchblende was Polonium. it was named for Poland and radium. It is a highly radioactive metal it very rare and if it comes in contact with you're inner tissue just a micro gram is a lethal dose.
Polonium has a melting point of 527k and a boiling point of 1235k. Because it is a metaloid it's normal state is a solid.
Where you can find it and what are it's uses
Polonium is found in uranium but don't expect to find massive amounts of polonium in uranium. in reality there is only 300 micro-grams of polonium in 1 ton of uranium which is why it is extremely rare, expensive and hard to get a hold of. Unless you own a nuclear plant because it is often found in uranium witch is in nuclear plants and it is separated from uranium either way but is often disposed.
It is most commonly used as a heat source but because of it's short life it is used for short term heating.
Some interesting facts about polonium
Some interesting facts about polonium are that it was used to deliberately kill Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. it was the first time it was used as a poison on purpose however it is described as the perfect poison because it is hard to trace. Also my mom was in London at the time of his assassination.
Another fun fact is that if it is mixed with beryllium it can be used as a portable neutron source. Which is just anything that emits neutrons however it is it is portable thanks to polonium and beryllium.
SOURCEs
Works Cited
"The Element Polonium." It's elemental. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2016. <http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele084.html>.
"IFLSCIENCE." IFLSCIENCE. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2016. <http://www.iflscience.com/chemistry/litvinenko-poisoning-polonium-explained>.
"Neutron Sources." Nuclear Power. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2016. <http://www.nuclear-power.net/nuclear-power/reactor-physics/atomic-nuclear-physics/fundamental-particles/neutron/neutron-sources/>.
"Polonium Element Facts." chemicool. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2016. <http://www.chemicool.com/elements/polonium.html>.