Table of Contents
What do we use polonium for?
Among the element’s limited uses are eliminating static electricity in machinery and removing dust from photographic film. In both applications, the polonium must be carefully sealed to protect the user. The element is also used as a lightweight heat source for thermoelectric power in satellites and other spacecraft.
What are some common compounds and elements?
Compounds
| compound name | compound formula | elements present |
|---|---|---|
| carbon dioxide | CO2 | carbon (C) and oxygen (O) |
| sodium chloride | NaCl | sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) |
| sodium hydroxide | NaOH | sodium (Na), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H) |
| calcium chloride | CaCl2 | calcium (Ca) and chlorine (Cl) |
Where can you find polonium?
Polonium is a very rare natural element. It is found in uranium ores but it is uneconomical to extract it. It is obtained by bombarding bismuth-209 with neutrons to give bismuth-210, which then decays to form polonium. All the commercially produced polonium in the world is made in Russia.
What are some common compounds of polonium?
Other polonium compounds include potassium polonite as a polonite, polonate, acetate , bromate, carbonate, citrate , chromate, cyanide, formate, (II) and (IV) hydroxides, nitrate , selenate, selenite , monosulfide, sulfate, disulfate and sulfite.
What other elements does polonium combine with?
Polonium is also used in brushes for removing dust from photographic films, although the polonium must be carefully sealed to protect the user from contamination. Polonium is also combined with beryllium to form neutron sources.
What are the common uses of polonium?
In commercial applications, polonium is occasionally used to remove static electricity in machinery or dust from photographic film. It can also be used as a lightweight heat source for thermoelectric power in space satellites.
What products are made from polonium?
Uses of Polonium Polonium is an alpha-emitter, hence it is used in antistatic devices and for research purposes. It is used in the form of a thin film on a stainless steel disc as an alpha-particle source. It is used to eliminate static electricity produced during processes such as rolling paper, wire and sheet metal.