We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Chemistry

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Francium?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 21, 2024
Views: 21,391
Share

Francium is a radioactive chemical element which is classified among the alkaline earth metals on the periodic table. It is extremely unstable, with a very short half life — approximately 20 minutes — and, as a result, it has few applications outside the realm of scientific research. The bulk of the world's francium is synthesized in labs; it only appears in nature in very small trace amounts, and it is an extremely rare element. Due to its rarity, consumers are unlikely to interact with francium.

In nature, francium is found in small amounts in uranium ores. As it breaks down, it decays into radium, astatine, or radon. It can also be artificially created in a lab from actinium or thorium. Because the element is so short lived, little is known about it physical properties, although it presumably shares traits with other alkaline earth metals. On the periodic table of elements, francium is identified with the symbol Fr, and it has an atomic number of 87.

The existence of this element was hypothesized in the 1800s, but it was not isolated and confirmed until 1939. Credit for the discovery of the element goes to Marguerite Perey, who was exploring radioactive elements at the Curie Institute in Paris when she made her discovery. When she was offered the privilege of naming the element, she patriotically named it for its nation of discovery.

This element is used primarily in research, especially in the field of physics. It is also used in spectroscopy experiments to learn more about subatomic particles. Researchers have also experimented with creating more long lived versions of francium in the hopes of learning more about the element or of finding potential applications for it. It has been hypothesized that the element could, for example, be useful in nuclear medicine, if researchers could synthesize a stable version.

Like other radioactive elements, francium is toxic. Exposure to the element can cause radiation damage in the body, which can lead to long term health effects or more immediate health problems, depending on the amount of the dosage. People who work with this element typically only see very small amounts, which certainly reduces the risk, but they also take precautions to protect themselves from long-term high dosages.

Share
All The Science is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a All The Science researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments
By anon354418 — On Nov 08, 2013

Name: Francium

Symbol: Fr

Atomic Number: 87

Atomic Mass: (223.0) amu

Melting Point: 27.0 °C (300.15 K, 80.6 °F)

Boiling Point: 677.0 °C (950.15 K, 1250.6 °F)

Number of Protons/Electrons: 87

Number of Neutrons: 136

Classification: Alkali Metal

Crystal Structure: Cubic

By anon354072 — On Nov 05, 2013

What are the health concerns?

By anon323084 — On Mar 03, 2013

What is the exact day that francium was discovered?

By anon273111 — On Jun 05, 2012

Good, but how reactive is it?

By anon172029 — On May 02, 2011

it is an alkali metal.

By anon140220 — On Jan 06, 2011

i think it is alkali metal, not alkaline earth.

By anon124906 — On Nov 07, 2010

This helped a little bit but you should put the atomic mass and the number of electrons and protons and neutrons and the boiling point and melting point on here. It would help a lot more!

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.allthescience.org/what-is-francium.htm
Copy this link
All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.