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Polonium vs Cadmium


Cadmium vs Polonium


Periodic Table

Symbol
Po   
Cd   

Group Number
16   
2
12   
6

Period Number
6   
5   

Block
p block   
d block   

Element Family
Post-​Transition   
Transition Metal   

CAS Number
7440086   
99+
7440439   
99+

Space Group Name
Pm-3m   
P63/mmc   

Space Group Number
221.00   
3
194.00   
5

Facts

Interesting Facts
  • Polonium was the first radioactive element to be discovered.
  • Polonium element and its compounds are highly radioactive.
  • Its alloy with Beryllium provides source of neutrons.
  
  • Naturally occurring minor elements include Cadmium.
  • Cadmium is released into atmosphere to control volcanic eruption and forest fires.
  • It is used for electroplating of Steel for corrosion resistance.
  • It can absorb neutrons and used in nuclear reactor to control atomic fission.
  

Sources
Mining, Ores of metals   
Found As a By-product, Found in Minerals, Mining   

History
  
  

Who Discovered
Pierre Curie and Marie Curie   
Karl Samuel Leberecht Hermann and Friedrich Stromeyer   

Discovery
In 1898   
In 1817   

Abundance
  
  

Abundance In Universe
Not Available   
2 * 10-7 %   
22

Abundance In Sun
~-9999 %   
~0.0000006 %   
21

Abundance In Meteorites
Not Available   
0.00 %   
31

Abundance In Earth's Crust
Not Available   
0.00 %   
99+

Abundance In Oceans
0.00 %   
99+
0.00 %   
28

Abundance In Humans
Not Available   
0.00 %   
11

Uses

Uses & Benefits
  • Polonium metal has different Allotropes, it is used in antistatic devices and for research purpose.
  • A 1 gram of Polonium can reach a temperature of 500°C, hence it is used as a heat source for space equipment.
  
  • It has very limited uses as it is a toxic metal and it can cause birth defects, cancer, etc.
  • Almost 80% of Cadmium metal is used in Nickel cadmium Batteries and now it is getting replaced with nickel hydride.
  

Industrial Uses
Aerospace Industry, Ammunition Industry   
Aerospace Industry, Ammunition Industry, Chemical Industry, Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry   

Medical Uses
NA   
NA   

Other Uses
Alloys   
Alloys   

Biological Properties
  
  

Toxicity
Highly Toxic   
Toxic   

Present in Human Body
No   
Yes   

In Blood
0.00 Blood/mg dm-3   
37
0.01 Blood/mg dm-3   
24

In Bone
0.00 p.p.m.   
36
1.80 p.p.m.   
15

Physical Properties

Melting Point
254.00 °C   
99+
320.90 °C   
99+

Boiling Point
962.00 °C   
99+
765.00 °C   
99+

Appearance
  
  

Physical State
Solid   
Solid   

Color
Silver   
Silvery Bluish-Gray   

Luster
NA   
Metallic   

Hardness
  
  

Mohs Hardness
Not Available   
2.00   
16

Brinell Hardness
Not Available   
203.00 MPa   
39

Speed of Sound
Not Available   
2,310.00 m/s   
39

Optical Properties
  
  

Reflectivity
Not Available   
67.00 %   
11

Allotropes
Yes   
No   

α Allotropes
α-polonium   
Not Available   

β Allotropes
β-polonium   
Not Available   

γ Allotropes
Not Available   
Not Available   

Chemical Properties

Chemical Formula
Po   
Cd   

Isotopes
  
  

Known Isotopes
29   
10
34   
5

Electronegativity
  
  

Pauling Electronegativity
2.00   
7
1.69   
17

Sanderson Electronegativity
Not Available   
1.98   
9

Allred Rochow Electronegativity
1.76   
2
1.46   
15

Mulliken-Jaffe Electronegativity
2.48   
1
1.53   
13

Allen Electronegativity
2.19   
2
1.52   
27

Electropositivity
  
  

Pauling Electropositivity
2.00   
99+
2.31   
37

Ionization Energies
  
  

1st Energy Level
812.10 kJ/mol   
14
867.80 kJ/mol   
11

2nd Energy Level
Not Available   
1,631.40 kJ/mol   
32

3rd Energy Level
Not Available   
3,616.00 kJ/mol   
13

Electrochemical Equivalent
3.90 g/amp-hr   
8
2.10 g/amp-hr   
27

Electron Work Function
Not Available   
4.22 eV   
22

Other Chemical Properties
Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility   
Chemical Stability, Anti Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility   

Atomic Properties

Atomic Number
84   
32
48   
99+

Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p4   
[Kr] 4d10 5s2   

Crystal Structure
Monoclinic (MON)   
Hexagonal Close Packed (HCP)   

Crystal Lattice
MON-Crystal-Structure-of-Polonium.jpg#100   
HCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Cadmium.jpg#100   

Atom
  
  

Number of Protons
84   
32
48   
99+

Number of Neutrons
125   
19
64   
99+

Number of Electrons
84   
32
48   
99+

Radius of an Atom
  
  

Atomic Radius
168.00 pm   
23
151.00 pm   
32

Covalent Radius
140.00 pm   
99+
144.00 pm   
40

Van der Waals Radius
197.00 pm   
29
158.00 pm   
99+

Atomic Weight
209.00 amu   
28
112.41 amu   
99+

Atomic Volume
22.23 cm3/mol   
13
13.10 cm3/mol   
39

Adjacent Atomic Numbers
  
  

Previous Element
Bismuth
  
Silver
  

Next Element
Francium
  
Indium
  

Valence Electron Potential
Not Available   
30.00 (-eV)   
99+

Lattice Constant
335.90 pm   
99+
297.94 pm   
99+

Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, π/2   
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3   

Lattice C/A Ratio
Not Available   
1.89   
1

Mechanical Properties

Density
  
  

Density At Room Temperature
9.20 g/cm3   
99+
8.65 g/cm3   
99+

Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
9.40 g/cm3   
19
8.00 g/cm3   
28

Tensile Strength
Not Available   
62.00 MPa   
16

Viscosity
Not Available   
Not Available   

Vapor Pressure
  
  

Elasticity properties
  
  

Shear Modulus
Not Available   
19.00 GPa   
35

Bulk Modulus
Not Available   
42.00 GPa   
29

Young's Modulus
Not Available   
50.00 GPa   
36

Poisson Ratio
Not Available   
0.30   
14

Other Mechanical Properties
NA   
Ductile, Malleable   

Magnetic Properties

Magnetic Characteristics
  
  

Specific Gravity
9.32   
31
8.65   
36

Magnetic Ordering
Nonmagnetic   
Diamagnetic   

Electrical Properties
  
  

Electrical Property
Conductor   
Semiconductor   

Resistivity
0.40 nΩ·m   
99+
72.70 nΩ·m   
36

Electrical Conductivity
0.02 106/cm Ω   
99+
0.14 106/cm Ω   
15

Electron Affinity
183.30 kJ/mol   
3
0.00 kJ/mol   
40

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat
0.12 J/(kg K)   
40
0.23 J/(kg K)   
26

Molar Heat Capacity
26.40 J/mol·K   
28
26.02 J/mol·K   
32

Thermal Conductivity
20.00 W/m·K   
99+
96.60 W/m·K   
16

Critical Temperature
Not Available   
Not Available   

Thermal Expansion
23.50 µm/(m·K)   
16
30.80 µm/(m·K)   
10

Enthalpy
  
  

Enthalpy of Vaporization
60.30 kJ/mol   
99+
100.00 kJ/mol   
99+

Enthalpy of Fusion
13.00 kJ/mol   
26
6.19 kJ/mol   
99+

Enthalpy of Atomization
134.00 kJ/mol   
99+
113.00 kJ/mol   
99+

Standard Molar Entropy
Not Available   
51.80 J/mol.K   
27

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