🔹 Basic Information

• Element Name: Californium
• Discovered By: Stanley G. Thompson, Glenn T. Seaborg, Kenneth Street Jr., and Albert Ghiorso
• Year of Discovery: 1950
• Category: Actinide Series / Radioactive Metal
• Group: Actinides (no formal group number)
• State at Room Temperature: Solid 🧊

Californium is a synthetic radioactive element named after the state of California and the University of California, Berkeley, where it was discovered.

🔸 Chemical Properties

• Chemical Symbol: Cf
• Atomic Number: 98
• Atomic Mass: ~251 u
• Valency: +3 (most stable), +2
• Electronic Configuration: [Rn] 5f¹⁰ 7s²

Californium forms Cf³⁺ ions and reacts slowly with oxygen, water, and acids, but not with alkalis. It is highly radioactive and must be handled with care.

📘 Basic Things to Know

Californium was the sixth transuranic element to be synthesized. It’s produced in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators by bombarding curium with neutrons.

🤔 Interesting Facts

• Californium-252 is a powerful neutron emitter, one of the strongest known! 💥
• Just 1 microgram of Cf-252 can release 170 million neutrons per minute
• It’s used to start up nuclear reactors and detect gold and silver in mines
• Extremely expensive and rare — costs millions of dollars per gram 💸
• Highly radioactive and glows faintly due to alpha decay ✨

🔧 Common Uses

✔️ Neutron Source:
Used in neutron radiography, moisture gauges, and oil exploration

✔️ Nuclear Reactor Starter:
Helps initiate chain reactions in nuclear reactors ⚛️

✔️ Medical & Scientific Research:
Used in cancer treatments and research involving neutron activation analysis

✔️ Metal & Mineral Detection:
Helps detect precious metals and analyze rock composition in mining

📚 Conclusion

Californium is a powerful and rare synthetic element with significant uses in science, medicine, and industry. Though not found in everyday life, it plays a key role in nuclear research and technology. For students, it’s a symbol of how advanced elements can make a huge impact, even in the smallest amounts. ⚛️🌍