Barium (Ba)
"The Inner Visionary, revealing hidden worlds with a glow, while also sparking spectacular green fire!"
A memorable persona to anchor Ba in your mind.
3.51
Grams per cm³
727
Celsius (°C)
268
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
That glowing green in fireworks or the chalky drink doctors use to see your insides.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1774
Discovered By
Carl Wilhelm Scheele
Origin of Name
"The name comes from the Greek ''barys'', meaning heavy."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
137.327 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
1845°C
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 6s2
1st Ionization Energy
5.212 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"A soft, silvery-white metal that tarnishes quickly in air."
Did You Know?
It's Heavy, Literally! The name 'Barium' comes from the Greek word 'barys,' meaning 'heavy.' And this element truly lives up to its dense designation!
Green Firepower! Barium compounds are the secret ingredient behind those stunning emerald-green explosions you see lighting up the night sky during fireworks displays.
X-Ray Vision! While many barium compounds are toxic, barium sulfate is super useful in medicine! Doctors use it as a 'barium swallow' to coat your digestive tract, making your insides visible on X-rays without harming you because it's insoluble.
Super Reactive! As an alkaline earth metal, Barium loves to react! It quickly tarnishes in air and reacts vigorously with water, showing off its eagerness to bond.