polonium
Element eighty-four
Polonium is a rare, highly radioactive metallic element, atomic number 84.
It was discovered by Marie Curie and named for her native Poland.
Polonium has few practical applications outside nuclear physics, though it serves as a neutron trigger in some nuclear weapons.
Its notoriety stems from its use as a poison—notably in the 2006 assassination of Alexander Litvinenko.
Gradual organic breakdown
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
- radonRadioactive inert gas
- radiumRadioactive alkaline earth metal
uranium · plutonium · radioisotopes · ionizing · radiochemistry · emanation · short-lived · disintegration
Occurring at intervals
- atomicOf elemental particles
- protonsPositive nuclear particles
- electronsNegative charges in atoms
- neutronsUncharged subatomic particles
nucleus · isotopes · chemistry · transmutation · metalloid · silvery · volatile · curie
Harmful ingested substance
- lethalCausing or capable of death
- deadlyAble to cause expiration
- hazardousLikely to cause injury
- fatalCausing death or ruin
assassination · poisoning · carcinogenic · ingestion · contamination · dangerous · acute · dose
In short supply
- traceMinute remnant or pursue
- minusculeExtremely small in size
- microscopicToo small for eyes
- limitedRestricted in extent
precious · costly · synthetic · manufactured · nanogram · difficult · extraction · quantities
Resisting electrical charge accumulation
- thermoelectricHeat-to-electricity converting
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- satelliteOrbiting celestial body
- industrialOf factories and production
research · brushes · film · photography
decay
Gradual organic breakdown
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
- radonRadioactive inert gas
radium · uranium · plutonium · radioisotopes · ionizing · radiochemistry · emanation · short-lived · disintegration · nuclear
periodic
Occurring at intervals
neutrons · nucleus · isotopes · chemistry · transmutation · metalloid · silvery · volatile · curie · discovery
poison
Harmful ingested substance
fatal · assassination · poisoning · carcinogenic · ingestion · contamination · dangerous · acute · dose · exposure
scarce
In short supply
- traceMinute remnant or pursue
- minusculeExtremely small in size
- microscopicToo small for eyes
limited · precious · costly · synthetic · manufactured · nanogram · difficult · extraction · quantities · unavailable
antistatic
Resisting electrical charge accumulation
- thermoelectricHeat-to-electricity converting
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- satelliteOrbiting celestial body
industrial · research · brushes · film · photography
- Nuclear Materialsuranium, plutonium, enriched uranium, plutonium-239, uranium-235
- elementsoxygen, hydrogen, carbon, helium, nitrogen
- hazardsfire hazard, fire hazards, toxin, contamination, tripping hazard
- metalsaluminum, steel, copper, iron, gold
- main group elementshydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron
- hazardous substancescyanide, arsine, mustard gas, nerve gas, phosgene