Atomic Properties of Sr
- Atomic Number of Sr
- 38
- Atomic Mass of Sr
- 87.6200 u
- Electron Configuration
- [Kr] 5s2
- Electronegativity
- 0.95
- Block
- s-block
- Group
- 2
- Period
- 5
Strontium (Sr) is element 38 on the periodic table. Atomic mass of Sr: 87.6200 u. Sr is in period 5, group 2. Melting point of Sr: 1050.00 K.Density of Sr: 2.64 g/cm³.
Strontium in everyday life and industry
Not essential, but mimics calcium and accumulates in bones. Strontium ranelate was a drug for osteoporosis (now restricted). This bone-seeking behavior is why radioactive Sr-90 is so dangerous.
Discovered by A. Crawford in Scotland, 1790
Name origin: From the Scottish town, Strontian.
Soft yellowish metallic element, belongs to group 2 of the periodic table. Highly reactive chemically. Sr-90 is present in radioactive fallout and has a half-life of 28 years. Discovered in 1798 by Klaproth and Hope, isolated in 1808 by Humphry Davy.
Strontium has 4 naturally occurring isotopes.
| Isotope | Atomic Mass (u) | Abundance | Half-Life | Decay Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8438Sr (Sr-84)Strontium-84 isotope | 83.9134191 | 0.5600% | — | — |
| 8638Sr (Sr-86)Strontium-86 isotope | 85.9092606 | 9.860% | — | — |
| 8738Sr (Sr-87)Strontium-87 isotope | 86.9088775 | 7.000% | — | — |
| 8838Sr (Sr-88)Strontium-88 isotope | 87.9056125 | 82.58% | — | — |
Data source: NIH PubChem (aggregated from IUPAC, NIST)
Isotopes of Strontium have important real-world applications in science and industry.
The 87Rb- 87Sr dating technique utilizes the fact that 87Sr is a product of radioactive 87Rb decay (half-life of 4.97×1010 years) and is a useful tool for determining ages of rocks and minerals spanning the age of the Earth (Fig. IUPAC.38.2) [301].
Used in flares and fireworks for crimson color. Strontium-90 is a long lived highly radioactive fallout product of atomic-bomb explosions.
Found in minerals celestite and strontianite.
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