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Barium Symbol, Atomic Mass, Number, Uses, and Effects

Last Updated on Jul 15, 2025
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Have you ever heard of barium while studying the periodic table or watching a science experiment? Barium is a soft, silvery-white metal that belongs to the alkane earth metals group. It’s not found freely in nature because it reacts easily with air and water. But in compounds form, barium plays an important role in industries, medicine, and even fireworks. In this article, we’ll explore its properties, how it’s used, and what effects it can have on health and the environment.

What is Barium?

Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It’s a soft metal that has a shiny, silver like appearance when freshly cut. However, it quickly reacts with air and turns dull. Barium is not found in its pure form in nature because it’s too reactive. Instead, it’s found in minerals like barite (barium sulfate) and witherite (barium carbonate).

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Scientists first discovered barium in the late 1700s, and since then, it has been used in many areas like medicine, construction, and manufacturing. Even though it’s useful, some forms of barium can be harmful if not handled carefully.

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Barium Symbol

Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It belongs to the alkaline earth metals group and is solid at room temperature (20°C or 68°F). The atomic weight of barium is 137.327. Its electron configuration is [Xe] 6s², which means it has two electrons in its outer shell. Barium has a body centred cubic crystal structure and is known to be strongly basic, meaning its oxides react easily with acid. Because of its reactivity, barium does not occur freely in nature and is usually found in compounds.

Barium Electron Configuration

The atomic number of barium is 56 which indicates the number of electrons as well as protons in the atom. Therefore, the electron configuration of Barium can be written as:

The electronic configuration till 5p^{6} belongs to the nearest Noble gas Xenon (Xe). Hence, the electronic configuration for platinum can also be represented as: [Xe]6s2

Barium Valency

Barium has 2 electrons in the outermost shell of its atom. The outermost shell is also termed as a valence shell. Hence, the valency of barium is 2. It can lose these two electrons to attain the +2 oxidation state.

Barium Properties

The physical and chemical properties of barium are discussed as follows:

Physical Properties of Barium

The physical properties of barium are discussed below:

  • It is a soft, silvery metal that quickly tarnishes in air.
  • The melting and boiling points of barium are 727°C, (1000 K) and 1845°C (2118 K), respectively.
  • The atomic mass of barium is 137.327 g/mol with a density of 3.62g/cm3.
  • The crystalline structure of solid metallic barium is body-centred cubic.
  • Barium metal is quite light, barely 30% denser than aluminium.

Chemical Properties of Barium

Following are the most common properties of barium:

  • It is extremely readily oxidised; reacts severely with acids, water, and carbon tetrachloride.

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  • On a scale where silicon’s abundance equals 106 atoms, its estimated cosmic abundance is 3.7 atoms.
  • Barium has an oxidation state of +2 in its compounds. By adding carbonate (CO3−2), sulphate (SO4−2), chromate (CrO4−2), or phosphate PO4−3 anions, the Ba+2ion can be precipitated out of the solution and make its salts.

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Uses of Barium

The applications of barium are quite limited but its compounds are used in different fields:

  • Barium is used to remove undesired gases (gettering) from vacuum tubes, such as TV image tubes, either as a metal or when alloyed with aluminium.
  • Due to its low vapour pressure, reactivity toward oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water, and ability to partially remove noble gases by dissolving them in the crystal lattice, barium is a good choice for this application.
  • Minor applications for elemental barium also include the use of barium in small amounts for producing alloys such as steel and cast iron, lead-tin soldering alloys to boost creep resistance, alloys with nickel for spark plugs, and an additive to refine the structure of silumin (aluminium-silicon alloys).

Effects of Barium

Type

Effect

Health (Mild)

Can cause stomach upset, muscle weakness, and difficulty in breathing.

Health (Severe)

In large amounts, it may lead to paralysis, high blood pressure, or even death.

Exposure Risk

People working in factories using barium are more at risk of health issues.

Soluble Compounds

Barium that dissolves in water is more harmful to health.

Inhalation Risk

Breathing in barium dust can affect lungs and heart function.

Environmental

Barium compounds can mix with water and spread in lakes and rivers.

Impact on Wildlife

Fish and other water animals can absorb barium and store it in their bodies.

Soil Impact

Barium usually stays in the soil and doesn’t move much unless dissolved.

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FAQs

Yes, Barium is metal. It is the 5th element of the Alkaline Earth Metals groups of the periodic table.

The atomic mass of Barium is 137.327 g/mol.

Barium is popularly recognised by its Latin name only. Hence, the element with the atomic number 56 is called Barium in Latin.

Barium is commonly found in the UK, Italy, the Czech Republic, USA and Germany.

Barium is insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol.

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