Barium is an element that has the atomic number 56. Its average atomic mass is 137.327 g/mol and it is represented by the symbol Ba. It has a silvery grey colour. The Barium element is found in group 2 period 6 and s-block. The electronic configuration of Barium is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 6s2. There are 56 protons and electrons in an atom of Barium. barium is solid at STP and has a density of 3.51 g/cm3. The melting point of barium is 1000 K ?(727 °C, ?1341 °F) and its boiling point is 2118 K ?(1845 °C, ?3353 °F).
Its oxidation states are +1, +2 . The electronegativity of barium is 0.89 (Pauling scale). Barium has six naturally occurring isotopes, It was discovered by Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1772 and isolated by English chemist Humphry Davy in 1808.
Barium is chemically very reactive. It produces a dark grey surface when exposing to air.
The main source of Barium is baryte (heavy spar) mineral. Another source is barium carbonate. China accounts for 50% of the production followed by countries like India, Morocco, the US, Iran, and Turkey.
Barium has a wide range of applications as metal and uses to produce alloy. It is used in fireworks mostly for green colour. other uses are electroceramic, opics, and as a catalyst. In oil and gas wells drilling Barium sulfate is used as a drilling fluid. Barium is used in X-ray imaging of the digestive system as radiocontrast.
How many valence electrons does barium have?
Barium has two electrons in its valence. These two electrons are in 6s2 orbital. It has 56 electrons. The electronic configuration of barium is 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 3d10, 4s2, 4p6, 4d10, 5s2, 5p6, 6s2.
How many neutrons does barium have?
There are 81 neutrons in a barium atom. Barium has six stable isotopes with different number of neutrons.
Barium-132 has 76 neutrons, Ba-134 has 78,
Ba-135 has 79,Ba-136 has 80, Ba-137 has 81, Ba-138 has 82 neutrons.
