Francium

Properties
Atomic symbol |  Fr
Atomic number |  87
Classification |  Alkali Metals
Atomic mass |  223 amu
Other Information
Date of discovery |  1939
Name of discoverer |  Marguerite Perey
Name origin |  Named after France.
Uses |  None (far too short lived for any application).
Obtained from |  Not commercially available, it is formed by the decay of actinium.

Francium is an element, it is the heaviest discovered Alkali metal. It is very unstable and radioactive. It lasts for a very short time period (half life of approximately 22 minutes[1]) before decaying into Astatine via alpha decay or Radium via Beta Decay.

It is estimated that only between 20 and 30 grams of it exist in the earth's crust at any given point in time [2] and is in fact the second rarest naturally occurring element after Astatine. The only reason it exists is because of its part in the decay chain of Uranium.

## Properties[edit]

Francium would presumably be more reactive than Cesium, reacting violently with Water to produce Francium Hydroxide and Hydrogen Gas. It would also react with Oxygen rapidly in the air. It has an estimated melting point of 27 degrees Celsius, which would make it liquid in a warm room. None of these are confirmed owing to the rarity of the element and are based on the reactivity of the rest of the series.

## References[edit]

1. ↑ http://www.chemicool.com/elements/francium.html#appear
2. ↑ http://www.webelements.com/francium/

Periodic Table of the Elements

1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18

1.008

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

4.003

6.939

9.0122

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

10.811

12.011

14.007

15.999

18.998

10.183

22.99

24.312

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

26.982

28.086

30.974

32.064

35.453

39.948

39.102

40.08

44.956

47.9

50.942

51.996

54.938

55.847

58.933

58.71

63.546

65.37

69.72

72.59

74.922

78.96

79.904

83.8

85.47

87.62

88.905

91.22

92.906

95.94

[97]

101.07

102.91

106.4

107.87

112.4

114.82

118.69

121.75

127.6

126.9

131.3

132.91

137.34

57*

138.91

178.49

180.95

183.85

186.2

190.2

192.2

195.09

196.97

200.59

204.37

207.19

208.98

210

210

222

215

226.03

89**

227.03

104

[261]

105

[262]

106

[266]

107

[264]

108

[265]

109

[268]

110

[271]

111

[272]

112

[277]

113

[284]

114

[289]

115

[288]

116

[292]

117

[293]

118

[294]

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
*Lanthanides  |

140.12

140.91

144.24

145

150.35

151.96

157.25

158.92

162.5

164.93

167.26

168.93

173.04

174.97

|  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
**Actinides  |

232.04

231

238.03

237.05

239.05

241.06

244.06

249.08

252.08

252.08

100

257.1

101

258.1

102

259.1

103

262.11

|  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |