Californium is a synthetic radioactive metal or chemical element with the symbol Cf and atomic number 98 in the periodic table.It was first synthesized at the University of California, Berkeley in 1950 by bombarding curium-242 with alpha particles (helium-4 nuclei). It has since been used for various scientific pursuits such as determining the age of submarine basalt and oceanic crust, and for superconductivity studies.One of the few facilities in the world which is capable of producing californium is the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oakridge, Tennessee. Californium gets its name from the university where it was discovered; however, it has no particular meaning in Latin despite being named after the US state of California. The original suggestion for the element’s name was ’excellentium’ but this was turned down in favor of californium due to the discovery occurring in Berkeley, California. Californium is a synthetic element among other elements with an undetermined melting point. The highest melting point observed so far was in 1966, when scientists at UC Berkeley managed to melt a solid californium sample at about 1605.2 F (874°C).Discovery of CaliforniumThe element Californium-252 was discovered in September of 1950 at the University of California Radiation Laboratory in Berkeley, California.A team of scientists, led by Stanley G. Thompson and Glenn T. Seaborg, announced their discovery of a new isotope of plutonium, with an atomic mass number of 252, which they named Californium.It is the third element, and the first trans-uranium element, to be synthesized artificially.Cal-252 was produced by bombarding a microgram-sized target of plutonium with 35 MeV alpha particles in the 60 in (1.524 m) cyclotron at Berkeley.Californium is an artificially produced radioactive element. It does not occur naturally.Californium was discovered as an emission product of Ir192 ( ~ 0.88 oz (25 g)) of Ir was present, from a ~ 0.01 oz (500 mg) initial target mass, which had been bombarded with 35 MeV alpha particles in the 60 in (1.524 m) cyclotron at Berkeley. Californium-252 has never been found to occur naturally.Uses of CaliforniumCalifornium atoms are dangerously radioactive and you must be careful around them. These atoms, which mostly occur in the form of californium dioxide, CfO2, are the elements useful in the nuclear industry. Californium is a member of the actinide group. As such, the same element most important use is in nuclear power plants because of its nuclear reaction property.Californium-252 can be used as a neutron source when it undergoes beta decay. It has a half-life of 2.645 years and a very low specific activity. This means that you could have 35.27 oz (1 kg) of C-252, and it would make one neutron decay every 2.645 years.It is important to note that Californium does not produce neutrons as a primary product from radioactive decay.This means that any neutron production from Californium-252 can only come from the beta decay of another Californium isotope. An example of this is Californium-249. This isotope decays with a half-life of 9 h producing the isotope C-250 which has a half-life of 19 days and can decay into Pu-251. This then decays into Am-241 which beta decays to produce neutrons.Californium could theoretically be used in self-powered lighting and pacemaker batteries.Californium can be used as a portable neutron source for drilling and cutting in the oil industry.It is possible to use Californium in an explosive device such as a nuclear depth charge or nuclear torpedo. Scientific Facts About CaliforniumThe strong neutron emitter, Californium, is produced through nuclear reactors and a particle accelerator. It is the heaviest element in its physical properties as per the periodic table. Californium is named after the state of California because it was discovered during the Manhattan project at the University of California.Californium is one of the elements to date that has been discovered and later isolated as a pure metal. Some isotopes of Californium have very short half-lives.The most stable isotope, californium-253, has a half-life of 898 years.Californium is one of the lesser stable synthetic elements because Californium’s most stable isotope has a half-life longer than 20 hours.Research has been ongoing in order to learn about the chemistry and chemical analysis of this strong neutron emitter, which is produced through nuclear reactors.Californium is radioactive and must be handled with gloves and safety glasses as small exposure can be fatal.Californium-252 is used as a source of beta particles because the specific activity of the californium isotope makes it an ideal source.Californium tamper for nuclear weapons have been made, and 2.2lb (1 kg) of californium could produce an explosion yielding about 20 kilotons TNT-equivalent.It has an estimated critical mass of about 10582.2 oz (300 kg).Californium is not found naturally on Earth and is produced synthetically for research purposes.The only Californium isotope that occurs in nature was produced by cosmic ray activity (in the form of bismuth-209).Californium (atomic number 98) has an atomic mass of 251g/mol. Californium is produced in nuclear reactors by neutron irradiation of plutonium or uranium and was first discovered in the fallout from an American hydrogen bomb test at Enewetak Atoll in February 1950.Californium is a solid-state element.Californium has no known biological role.The main hazard presented by californium is radioactivity. Californium has direct application in cancer therapy within certain types of neutron ray sources.Californium metal is silver-gray in its pure form although it develops a yellow tarnish when exposed to air.Californium doesn’t have a smell.The boiling point of californium is over 3000 F (1760 C).Places Where Californium Can Be FoundCalifornium is a rare metal that was first discovered in the 1950s. It is named after the University of California, where it was discovered.There are three main ways californium can be found. Firstly, as sputtering targets for making thin films and semiconductors. Secondly, as sources for high energy density ion beams and thirdly, as ultra-dense metal alloying elements in the production of special types of metals.Californium is also found in nuclear reactor waste, where it is produced when many different nuclei are bombarded with neutrons.This means that it can be found as a result of accidents or intentional discharges from power plants and other facilities using nuclear materials.In nature, Californium occurs as seven parts per billion of uranium. However, because the isotope found in nature is highly radioactive, any specimens are immediately close to becoming extinct.Californium-252 has a half-life of only 2.645 years; it decays into Berkelium by emission of weak beta particles and gamma rays with very low energy.Californium-252 is especially important for making semiconductors.It was the first artificially made isotope to be found in nature in a non-experimental way, which means scientists weren’t trying to find it but did find Californium by coincidence.This occurred when there were major discharges of radioactive gases from the nearby Savannah River nuclear reactor in the United States.
Californium is a synthetic radioactive metal or chemical element with the symbol Cf and atomic number 98 in the periodic table.
