Radium nitrate explained

Radium nitrate is a radioactive salt with the formula Ra(NO3)2. It is a white solid, but old samples appear yellowish-grey. Although radium chloride and radium bromide are less soluble than the corresponding barium salts, radium nitrate is more soluble than barium nitrate.[1] [2] It decomposes at 280 °C to radium oxide.

Production

Radium nitrate is produced by the reaction of radium carbonate or radium sulfate with nitric acid:[2]

RaCO3 + HNO3 → Ra(NO3)2 + CO2 + H2O

Notes and References

  1. Otto Erbacher . Löslichkeits-Bestimmungen einiger Radiumsalze . Chemische Berichte . 1930 . 63 . 1 . 141–156 . 10.1002/cber.19300630120 . Solubility determinations of some radium salts . German.
  2. Book: The Radiochemistry of Radium. Kirby . Kirby . H. W. . Salutsky . Murrell L. . 1964 . National Academies Press . 4–8 .