Thorium
Thorium (钍, symbol Th) is chemical element number 90, an Actinide in period 7 of the periodic table, with a standard atomic weight of about 232.04. Weakly radioactive actinide. Considered a potential nuclear fuel.
Properties
| Atomic number | 90 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Th |
| Atomic mass | 232.04 u |
| Category | Actinide |
| Period | 7 |
| Group | — |
| Electron configuration | [Rn] 6d² 7s² |
| Electronegativity | 1.3 |
| Covalent radius | 206 pm |
| Density | 11.72 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 2115 K |
| Boiling point | 5061 K |
| Discovery | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, 1828 |
Overview
Weakly radioactive actinide. Considered a potential nuclear fuel. Thorium (Th) is an Actinide with atomic number 90, located in period 7. As an actinide it is typically radioactive and closely tied to nuclear technology.
It has the configuration [Rn] 6d² 7s² and an electronegativity near 1.3; its 2 outer-shell electrons drive its bonding. Under standard conditions it exists as a solid (a very high melting point); it melts near 2115 K (1841.9 °C), boils near 5061 K (4787.9 °C), has a density around 11.72 g/cm³.
It is widely used in Nuclear and Research. It is regarded as a high-hazard element, so handle it with appropriate care. It was first described by Jöns Jakob Berzelius in 1828. Browse elements of the same category in the browse view.
Electron shells
Electrons per shell: 2 · 8 · 18 · 32 · 18 · 10 · 2
Main uses
- Nuclear
- Research
Hazard
Compounds containing Thorium
No compounds in this knowledge base contain Thorium yet.
Data sources
Atomic mass uses IUPAC (CIAAW) standard atomic weights; the covalent radius is from Cordero et al. (2008). Verify on the RSC Periodic Table, PubChem and Wikipedia. Educational reference only.