 Discovery Information |
| Who:
Sir Humphrey Davy
|
| When: 1808 |
| Where: England |
|
| Name Origin |
| Greek: barys (heavy or dense). |
|
| Sources |
| Found in barytine (BaSO4) and witherite (BaCO3), never found in pure form due to its high reactivity. |
|
| Uses |
| Used in sparkplugs, vacuum tubes, fireworks, fluorescent lamps. |
|
| Notes |
| Barium is a metallic element that is chemically similar to calcium, yet is soft and in its pure form is silvery white resembling lead. |
| All water or acid soluble barium compounds are extremely poisonous. |
| Must be stored under a petroleum-based fluid (such as kerosene) to remain pure. |
