| Group | 2 | Melting point | 777 oC, 1430.6 oF, 1050.15 K |
| Period | 5 | Boiling point | 1377 oC, 2510.6 oF, 1650.15 K |
| Block | s | Density (kg m-3) | 2583 |
| Atomic number | 38 | Relative atomic mass | 87.62 |
| State at room temperature | Solid | Key isotopes | 86Sr, 87Sr, 88Sr |
| Electron configuration | [Kr] 5s2 | CAS number | 7440-24-6 |
| ChemSpider ID | 4514263 | ChemSpider is a free chemical structure database | |
Image explanation
A highly abstracted metallic “mushroom cloud” alluding to the presence of the element in atomic nuclear fallout.
Appearance
A soft, silvery metal that burns in air and reacts with water. It is used to make special glass for televisions, but it is best known as the brilliant reds its salts give to fireworks and flares. Because it is very like calcium, it can mimic its way into our bodies, ending up in our bones. Radioactive strontium-90, which is produced in nuclear explosions and released during nuclear plant accidents, is particularly worrying because it can be absorbed into the bones of young children.
Uses
Strontium is mainly used for producing glass for colour television sets. It is also used in producing ferrite magnets and refining zinc. One of the radioactive isotopes of strontium, 90Sr, is a product of nuclear fallout and presents a health problem. It has a half-life of 28 years. It is absorbed by bone tissue instead of calcium and can destroy bone marrow and cause cancer. However, it is also a useful isotope as it is one of the best high-energy beta-emitters known.
Biological role
Strontium has no known biological role, and it is non-toxic. It replaces and mimics calcium.
Natural abundance
Strontium is found mainly in the minerals celestite and strontianite. It can be prepared by electrolysis of the fused chloride with potassium chloride, or by reducing strontium oxide with aluminium.
| Atomic radius, non-bonded (Å) | 2.490 | Covalent radius (Å) | 1.9 |
| Electron affinity (kJ mol-1) | 4.63 |
Electronegativity (Pauling scale) |
0.950 |
|
Ionisation energies (kJ mol-1) |
1st
549.474
2nd
1064.242
3rd
4138.253
4th
5499.660
5th
6908.344
6th
8760.861
7th
10227.437
8th
11800.147
|
||
|
|
| Common oxidation states | 2 | ||||
| Isotopes | Isotope | Atomic mass | Natural abundance (%) | Half life | Mode of decay |
| 84Sr | 83.913 | 0.56 | - | - | |
| 86Sr | 85.909 | 9.86 | - | - | |
| 87Sr | 86.909 | 7 | - | - | |
| 88Sr | 87.906 | 82.58 | - | - | |
|
Molar heat capacity (J mol-1 K-1) |
26.79 | Young's modulus (GPa) | Unknown | |||||||||||
| Shear modulus (GPa) | Unknown | Bulk modulus (GPa) | Unknown | |||||||||||
| Vapour pressure | ||||||||||||||
| Temperature (K) |
|
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| Pressure (Pa) |
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Images: Visual Elements © Murray Robertson 2011
Mining and Sourcing data: British Geological Survey – natural environment research council.
Text: John Emsley Nature’s Building Blocks: An A-Z Guide to the Elements, Oxford University Press, 2nd Edition, 2011.
Data: CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, CRC Press, 92nd Edition, 2011.
G. W. C. Kaye and T. H. Laby Tables of Physical and Chemical Constants, Longman, 16th Edition, 1995.
Members of the RSC can access these books through our library.
Mining and Sourcing data: British Geological Survey – natural environment research council.
Text: John Emsley Nature’s Building Blocks: An A-Z Guide to the Elements, Oxford University Press, 2nd Edition, 2011.
Data: CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, CRC Press, 92nd Edition, 2011.
G. W. C. Kaye and T. H. Laby Tables of Physical and Chemical Constants, Longman, 16th Edition, 1995.
Members of the RSC can access these books through our library.
