Symbol
Cf
  
U
  
Group Number
Not Available
  
Period Number
7
  
7
  
Block
f block
  
f block
  
Element Family
Actinide
  
Actinide
  
Space Group Name
P63/mmc
  
Cmcm
  
Interesting Facts
- Californium metal is very harmful and highly radioactive.
- Californium metal is the heaviest metal.
  
- Major mining countries of Uranium include Russia, Australia, Namibia, Canada and Niger and total 33% Uranium are mine in Kazakhstan.
  
Sources
Made by Bombarding Curium with Helium Ions
  
Earth's crust, Mining, Ores of Minerals
  
History
  
  
Who Discovered
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  
Not Available
  
Discovery
In 1950
  
In 1789
  
Abundance
  
  
Abundance In Universe
Not Available
  
Abundance In Sun
~-9999 %
  
~0.0000001 %
  
26
Abundance In Meteorites
Not Available
  
Abundance In Earth's Crust
Not Available
  
Abundance In Oceans
Not Available
  
Uses & Benefits
- Californium metal has a very strong neutron emitter. It is used as a metal detector.
-
It also used as an identifier to check Water and oil layers in oil wells.
  
- The main use of this metal include nuclear fuel which is used to generate electricity yin nuclear power stations.
-
Synthetic elements like transuranium are made from Uranium metal.
  
Industrial Uses
Chemical Industry
  
Ammunition Industry, Chemical Industry
  
Medical Uses
NA
  
NA
  
Other Uses
Alloys, Nuclear Research
  
Alloys, Jewellery, Nuclear Reactor's Fuel, Sculptures, Statues
  
Biological Properties
  
  
Toxicity
Toxic
  
Toxic
  
Present in Human Body
No
  
No
  
In Blood
0.00 Blood/mg dm-3
  
37
Not Available
  
In Bone
0.00 p.p.m.
  
36
Not Available
  
Melting Point
1,132.00 °C
  
39
Boiling Point
1,470.00 °C
  
99+
3,818.00 °C
  
16
Appearance
  
  
Physical State
Solid
  
Solid
  
Color
Silver
  
Silvery Gray
  
Luster
NA
  
Metallic
  
Hardness
  
  
Brinell Hardness
Not Available
  
2,350.00 MPa
  
2
Vickers Hardness
Not Available
  
1,960.00 MPa
  
2
Speed of Sound
Not Available
  
3,155.00 m/s
  
25
Optical Properties
  
  
Allotropes
No
  
No
  
α Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
β Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
γ Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Chemical Formula
Cf
  
U
  
Isotopes
  
  
Electronegativity
  
  
Pauling Electronegativity
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
Electropositivity
  
  
Pauling Electropositivity
Ionization Energies
  
  
1st Energy Level
608.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
597.60 kJ/mol
  
99+
2nd Energy Level
1,206.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
1,420.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
3rd Energy Level
2,267.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
1,900.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
4th Energy Level
3,599.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
3,145.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
Electrochemical Equivalent
3.12 g/amp-hr
  
15
1.48 g/amp-hr
  
99+
Electron Work Function
Not Available
  
Other Chemical Properties
Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Radioactivity, Solubility
  
Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Radioactivity
  
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 5f10 7s2
  
[Rn] 5f3 6d1 7s2
  
Crystal Structure
Double Hexagonal Close Packed (DHCP)
  
Orthorhombic (ORTH)
  
Crystal Lattice
DHCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Californium.jpg#100
  
ORTH-Crystal-Structure-of-Uranium.jpg#100
  
Atom
  
  
Radius of an Atom
  
  
Covalent Radius
Not Available
  
Van der Waals Radius
Not Available
  
Atomic Volume
Not Available
  
12.59 cm3/mol
  
40
Adjacent Atomic Numbers
  
  
Valence Electron Potential
44.50 (-eV)
  
38
170.00 (-eV)
  
4
Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3
  
π/2, π/2, π/2
  
Lattice C/A Ratio
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Density
  
  
Density At Room Temperature
15.10 g/cm3
  
21
19.10 g/cm3
  
17
Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
Not Available
  
Tensile Strength
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Viscosity
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Vapor Pressure
  
  
Vapor Pressure at 2000 K
Not Available
  
Elasticity properties
  
  
Shear Modulus
Not Available
  
Bulk Modulus
Not Available
  
Young's Modulus
Not Available
  
Poisson Ratio
Not Available
  
Other Mechanical Properties
Malleable, Sectile
  
Ductile, Malleable
  
Magnetic Characteristics
  
  
Magnetic Ordering
Paramagnetic
  
Paramagnetic
  
Electrical Properties
  
  
Electrical Property
Unknown
  
Poor Conductor
  
Resistivity
Not Available
  
Electrical Conductivity
Not Available
  
0.04 10
6/cm Ω
  
37
Specific Heat
Not Available
  
0.12 J/(kg K)
  
40
Molar Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
27.67 J/mol·K
  
15
Thermal Conductivity
Not Available
  
27.50 W/m·K
  
40
Critical Temperature
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Thermal Expansion
Not Available
  
13.90 µm/(m·K)
  
27
Enthalpy
  
  
Enthalpy of Vaporization
Not Available
  
477.00 kJ/mol
  
13
Enthalpy of Fusion
Not Available
  
15.48 kJ/mol
  
19
Enthalpy of Atomization
Not Available
  
489.50 kJ/mol
  
14
Standard Molar Entropy
Not Available
  
50.20 J/mol.K
  
31