Polonium (Po)
Polonium is a rare, highly radioactive element discovered by Marie Curie, who named it after her homeland Poland.
Properties of Polonium
- Atomic number
- 84
- Category
- Metalloid
- Atomic mass
- 209 u
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁴
- Melting point
- 527 K (253.85 °C)
- Boiling point
- 1235 K (961.85 °C)
- Density
- 9.32 g/cm³
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2
- Appearance
- Silvery-gray metal
- Discovered by
- Marie Curie (1898)
Facts about Polonium
- Polonium was discovered by Marie Curie and named after her home country, Poland!
- Polonium is so radioactive it glows blue in the dark!
- A single gram of polonium generates about 140 watts of heat!
- Polonium has been used as a heat source in space satellites!