* Barium is a member of the alkaline earth metals family:
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BARIUM / Ba / 56
A soft, silvery metal that corrodes easily. Seven isotopes are
found in nature:
Ba<138/56> / 71.7%
Ba<137/56> / 11.2%
Ba<136/56> / 7.9%
Ba<135/56> / 6.6%
Ba<134/56> / 2.4%
Ba<132/56> / 0.1%
Ba<130/56> / 0.1%
All are stable.
atomic weight: 137.327
abundance: 5th
density: 3.6 gm/cc
melting point: 725 C
boiling point: 1,640 C
valence: 2
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Barium compounds are produced in the range of several million tonnes a year, though despite its scale of production its uses are somewhat obscure. It is used as a component of brilliant white paint, in oil additives, and in the manufacture of certain specialized glasses.
