The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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Californium is a transuranium elements, one of the elements found beyond uranium in Row 7 of the periodic table. It has an atomic number of 98, and atomic mass of 251.0796, and a chemical symbol of Cf.
All isotopes of californium are radioactive. The most stable isotope, californium-251, has a half life of 898 years. The element exists in such small amounts that very little is known about its chemical and physical properties. Its melting point has been estimated to be about 1,650°F (900°C).
Californium does not occur naturally in the Earth's crust. It is prepared artificially by bombarding curium (atomic number 96) with alpha particles in a particle accelerator. By means of this reaction, microgram-size amounts of the element can be prepared.
Californium was discovered in 1950 by a research team at the University of California at Berkeley (UCB). The team was made up of Glenn Seaborg, Albert Ghiorso, Kenneth Street, Jr., and Stanley G. Thompson (1912-). The discoverers chose to name the new element after the state of California in which they had done their research.
Californium has very few important applications. One of its uses has been in non-destructive testing, such as inspections of airline baggage. The isotope californium-252 has also found some use in determining the amount of moisture in soil, information that is very important to road builders and construction companies. All isotopes of californium destined for commercial use are now produced at the High Flux Isotope Radiator at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.