Francium Properties

Description

Francium has one of the lowest electronegativities of all known elements, and is the second rarest naturally occurring element. It is a highly radioactive metal that decays into astatine, radium, and radon. As an alkali metal, it has one valence electron. It was discovered by Marguerite Perey in France in 1939. It was the last element discovered in nature, rather than by synthesis. Due to its instability and rarity, there are no commercial applications for francium. It has been used for research purposes in the fields of biology and of atomic structure. Its use as a potential diagnostic aid for various cancers has also been explored, but this application has been deemed impractical. Its ability to be synthesized, trapped, and cooled, along with its relatively simple atomic structure have made it the subject of specialized spectroscopy experiments. These experiments have led to more specific information regarding energy levels and the coupling constants between subatomic particles.