Barium

=Barium=


 * Atomic Number:** 56


 * Protons:** 56


 * Electrons:** 56


 * Neutrons:** 81


 * Average Atomic Mass:** 137.327amu


 * Isotopes:** Barium-128, Barium-129, Barium-130, Barium-131, Barium-132, Barium-133, Barium-134, Barium-135, Barium-136, Barium-137, Barium-138, Barium-139, and Barium-140


 * Discovery:** Barium was first discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy in England in 1808.
 * Name:** The origin of the name came from the Greek word "barys" meaning "heavy".  


 * Uses:** Barium is used for rat poison,in oil well drilling fluids, and in making rubber, for glassmaking.


 * Interesting Facts**: Barium is a silvery white metal. The surface of barium metal is covered with a thin layer of oxide that helps protect the metal from attack by air, but to a less extent than the corresponding layer in magnesium. Once ignited, barium metal burns in air to give a mixture of white barium oxide and barium nitride.


 * Video:** media type="youtube" key="IQ2u1JunzgA" height="344" width="425"


 * Sources**
 * [|Photo: Rat poison by TripleAAAzn on Flickr]
 * Video: [|Barium Video from the Periodic Table of Videos on YouTube>]
 * [|History of Barium on WebElements>]
 * [|Barium Isotopes on WebElements>]
 * [|Barium on WebElements>]