Week 8 - Radium

Radium is the heaviest of the alkali earth metals. It is naturally a solid and white in color however it oxidizes in air and turn black. It is also slightly luminescent glowing a light blue color. It is extremely radioactive. Radium used to be used in watches until many of the watch makers died from radium exposure. Radium use is declining due to the it's volatility and the usage of less volatile isotopes as a substitute.