What is "radium"

Radium \Ra`di*um\ (r[=a]"d[i^]*[u^]m), n. [NL., fr. L. radius ray.] (Chem.) An intensely radioactive metallic element found (combined) in minute quantities in pitchblende, and various other uranium minerals. Symbol, Ra; atomic weight, 226.4. Radium was discovered by M. and Mme. Curie, of Paris, who in 1902 separated compounds of it by a tedious process from pitchblende. Its compounds color flames carmine and give a characteristic spectrum. It is divalent, resembling barium chemically. The main isotope of radium found in pitchblende, radium-226, has a half-life of 1620 years, decaying first by alpha emission to radon.

Note: Radium preparations are remarkable for maintaining themselves at a higher temperature than their surroundings, and for their radiations, which are of three kinds: alpha rays, beta rays, and gamma rays (see these terms). The beta and gamma rays seen in radium preparations are in fact due to disintegration of decay products of radium rather than the radium itself. By reason of these rays they ionize gases, affect photographic plates, cause sores on the skin, and produce many other striking effects. Their degree of activity depends on the proportion of radium present, but not on its state of chemical combination or on external conditions. The radioactivity of radium is therefore an atomic property, and is due to an inherent instability of the atomic nucleus which causes its decay in a process whose rate is first order. The disintegration of the radium nucleus is only the first in a series of nuclear disintegrations leading to production of a series of elements and isotopes. The chain has at least seven stages; the successive main products have been studied and are radon, a gaseous radioactive element belonging chemically to the inert noble gas series (originally called radium emanation or exradio, radium A, radium B, radium C, etc. The successive products are unstable isotopes of several different elements, each with an atomic weight a little lower than its predecessor. Lead is the stable end product. At the same time, the light gas helium is formed, being generated when the expelled alpha particles (positively charged helium nuclei) acquire electrons. Radium, in turn, is formed in the pitchblende ore by a slow disintegration of uranium. Natural radium and also an isotope (radium-228, also called mesothorium I) formed by the decay of thorium, were at one time used to make a luminous paint for watch dials, until the danger of the radioactivity became fully appreciated, and use of such material in watches was discontinued. See also mesothorium.

radioactive metallic element, 1899, from French radium, named 1898 after identification by Marie Curie and her husband, formed in Modern Latin from Latin radius "ray" (see radius). So called for its power of emitting energy in the form of rays.

n. a radioactive metallic chemical element (''symbol'' Ra) with an atomic number of 88.

n. an intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores [syn: Ra, atomic number 88]

Radium is the third album of Finnish industrial metal band, Ruoska, and was released on March 22, 2005. Two remixes of the song "Kosketa" were included on the Tuonen viemää and Helvettiin jäätynyt singles. A remix of "Irti" was also included on Helvettiin jäätynyt single.

Radium is a chemical element with symbol Ra and atomic number 88. It is the sixth element in group 2 of the periodic table, also known as the alkaline earth metals. Pure radium is silvery-white, but it readily combines with nitrogen (rather than oxygen) on exposure to air, forming a black surface layer of radium nitride (RaN). All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226, which has a half-life of 1600 years and decays into radon gas (specifically the isotope radon-222). When radium decays, ionizing radiation is a product, which can excite fluorescent chemicals and cause radioluminescence.

Radium, in the form of radium chloride, was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. They extracted the radium compound from uraninite and published the discovery at the French Academy of Sciences five days later. Radium was isolated in its metallic state by Marie Curie and André-Louis Debierne through the electrolysis of radium chloride in 1911.

In nature, radium is found in uranium and (to a lesser extent) thorium ores in trace amounts as small as a seventh of a gram per ton of uraninite. Radium is not necessary for living organisms, and adverse health effects are likely when it is incorporated into biochemical processes because of its radioactivity and chemical reactivity. Currently, other than its use in nuclear medicine, radium has no commercial applications; formerly, it was used as a radioactive source for radioluminescent devices and also in radioactive quackery for its supposed curative powers. Today, these former applications are no longer in vogue because radium's toxicity has since become known, and less dangerous isotopes are used instead in radioluminescent devices.

Radium is a chemical element with atomic number 88.

Radium may also refer to:

• Radium (software), an Internet radio player for Mac OS X
• Radium (horse), an Australian campdrafting horse and sire
• Radium weed, Euphorbia peplus, also known as Petty Spurge
• Radium Flour, a former brand of flour sold in Canada

• Radium, Colorado, United States
• Radium, Kansas, United States
• Radium, Minnesota, United States
• Radium, Virginia, United States
• Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada

• Radium (album), by the Finnish band Ruoska
• Radium, stage name of DJ/producer Daniel Técoult

• Radium Futebol Clube, a Brazilian association football club

Radium was an outstanding Australian bred campdrafter and very influential ancestor of Australian Stock Horses. He was a bay stallion bred by Donald Beaton of Levedale, Gloucester, New South Wales. This son of the outstanding campdrafter, Cecil (1899, by Red Gauntlet from Meretha II) from Black Bess by Hukatere (1882) was foaled on 11 November 1918. Beaton took great care in the breeding of his horses requiring horses with ability and stamina, for which he culled heavily. Radium’s sire, Cecil was so successful that in 1913, his owner, Arch Simpson was asked to leave his champion campdrafter at home in order that other competitors had a chance to win the campdrafting event at Geary’s Flat Bushman’s Carnival.

Radium was broken in by Archie Grant and Billy Tout when he was a two-year-old, after which he had several trips to the Cooplacurripa area. He began to show his exceptional ability as a stock horse as he developed and matured. Donald Beaton often drove long distances to compete at bushman’s carnivals with Radium tied behind the buggy. Radium would then compete in the campdraft, often winning and if he was going well, round off his success with an exhibition of campdrafting without a bridle.

In circa 1928, Radium was sold to Herb O’Neil, who, as a friend of Donald Beaton, had ridden the horse in competitions for Beaton when he had been unable to get away from his property. Herb O’Neill competed extensively with Radium, winning over a large area of the state. Just prior to the Second World War (WWII), Radium won a Championship Campdraft at Kempsey, New South Wales with the next ten placings going to Radium’s sons and daughters. Radium was also highly successful in led contests for the best type of Stock Horse. During WWII, at a Dungog Bushman’s Carnival over 20 horses were competing in the led stock horse class. In this event Radium received the first placing with the remaining four all being his sons.

Radium stood at stud on "Kunderang Station" (now part of Oxley Wild Rivers National Park) for much of his life and had at least thirteen of his sons appear in Australian Stock Horse pedigrees. Quite a few horses had a double cross or were line-bred to this great foundation sire.

His son, Chan was one of the smartest horses seen in a cattle camp and was a good sire. Another son, Dimray foaled in 1938 was a brilliant campdrafter and when retired to stud, he carried on the Radium tradition of producing top stock horses and campdrafters. It was as a sire that Dimray had a tremendous influence with his son Reality, his grandson Rivoli Ray and his great grandson, Cecil Bruce being Hall of Fame inductees.

Radium died on 12 November 1947, at 29 years of age, of a genital malignancy. This was the end of the life of a truly great horse, but he was also the foundation of a great line of horses.

Radium is a proprietary Internet radio player application, used for listening to internet radio streams. It emphasizes a minimalist user interface. The application does not have a main window, instead opting to provide the entire user interface through its main menu. Users can either listen to Radium's built-in selection of internet radio networks, or add their own networks provided that their stream URL's are known. The program has been praised for its unobtrusiveness, low system resource usage, and intuitive user interface, but has also been criticized for its lack of recording functionality as of version 2.5.1.

Radium is available as a free 30-day trial for Mac OS X, after which users are required to buy a license for $9.99 USD to continue using the program; minor updates are free for all users.