Nam

e:

Barium comes from the Greek word for

heavy, barys

Symbol: Ba
Barium is a silvery alkaline earth
metal that stays at the state of a solid
2
in its normal phase. It was discovered
in 1808 by an English chemist named
Sir Humphry Davy. It melts at 727C and boils
at 1897C. When barium is placed in water it
creates barium hydroxide (image 2). When
released in air, it stays in the form of a solid.
Barium nitrate is used in pyrotechnics to make
3
an awesome green coloured explosion (image
3). In hospital, patients drink it for x-ray imaging because it
is opaque to x-rays. Barium is used in some batteries, glass
making and even rodent poison. Barium poising can cause
muscle weakness, kidney damage and problems with the
nervous system but it can be cured in hospital. Bariums is
very toxic. Compounds of barium, especially barite (BaSO 4),
are used in the petroleum industry. Barite is used as a
weighting agent in oil drilling.
Compound associated with barium:
Barium carbonate (BaCO3): used in the production of
chlorine and sodium hydroxide, as rat poison, in types of
glass
Barium oxide (BaO): used to remove water from solvents
and in the oil drilling industry.

Barium nitrate (Ba(NO3)2): used in fireworks, as rat poison

and in ceramics.