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Barium Facts & Worksheets

The chemical element barium has the atomic number 56 and the symbol Ba. It is a delicate, silvery, alkaline earth metal that ranks fifth in group 2. Barium is not a free element due to its excellent chemical reactivity.

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The chemical element barium has the atomic number 56 and the symbol Ba. It is a delicate, silvery, alkaline earth metal that ranks fifth in group 2. Barium is not a free element due to its excellent chemical reactivity.

See the fact file below for more information about Barium, or you can download our 29-page Barium worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

  • Certain barium minerals were known to alchemists in the early Middle Ages. “Bologna stones” refers to smooth, pebble-like baryte stones discovered in volcanic rock near Bologna, Italy. Their ability to glow for years after being exposed to light drew the attention of alchemists. In 1602, V. Casciorolus published the luminous characteristics of barytes burned with organic compounds.
  • In 1772, Carl Scheele discovered that baryte included a new element; however, he could only separate barium oxide and not barium. In related investigations, Johan Gottlieb Gahn discovered barium oxide two years later.
  • Antoine Lavoisier renamed oxidized barium, using the original term “barote” by Guyton de Morveau. The heavy mineral, known as witherite, was discovered in the Cumberland lead mines by English mineralogist William Withering in the 18th century.
  • The explorer Sir Humphry Davy of England isolated barium for the first time in 1808 by electrolyzing molten barium salts. Robert Bunsen and Augustus Matthiessen synthesized pure barium by electrolyzing a molten combination of barium chloride and ammonium chloride. Davy named “barium” after baryta, using the “-ium” ending to denote a metallic element as an analogy with calcium.

CHARACTERISTICS

  • Physical Properties. When ultrapure, barium is a delicate, silvery-white metal with a hint of gold. The silvery-white hue of barium quickly disappears when it oxidizes in the air, leaving behind a dark gray layer that contains the oxide. 
  • Barium has electrical solid conductivity and a medium-specific weight. Many of barium’s properties were not precisely identified because it is a challenging material to purify.
  • Chemical Reactivity. Chalcogen reactions are exothermic, releasing energy; reactions involving oxygen or air happen at ambient temperature. Because of this, metallic barium is frequently kept in an inert environment or beneath oil.
  • Ammonia and barium combine to generate compounds like Ba(NH3)6. Meanwhile, acids can quickly attack the metal. One notable example is sulfuric acid, where the process is stopped by passivation, which forms insoluble barium sulfate on the surface. Barium forms intermetallic phases and alloys when it mixes with several other metals, such as lead, zinc, aluminum, and tin.
  • Compounds. Chemists made barium hydroxide (“baryta”) by heating barium carbonate. It is not affected by atmospheric changes because, unlike calcium hydroxide, it absorbs minimal CO2 in aqueous solutions. Equipment used to calibrate pH uses this feature.
  • Isotopes. A combination of seven primordial nuclides, barium-130, 132, and 134 through 138, can be discovered in the crust of the Earth. Barium-130 decays extremely slowly to xenon-130 through double beta plus decay, having a half-life of (0.5–2.7)×1021 years, or around 1011 times the universe’s age. 

OCCURRENCE AND PRODUCTION

  • The crust of the Earth has 0.0425% barium, while seawater has 13 μg/L of the mineral. Baryte, a mineral containing barium sulfate found in many places worldwide, is the primary source of barium used for commerce. 
  • After being mined, the ore is cleaned, crushed, sorted, and kept apart from the quartz. Froth flotation is employed if the quartz penetrates the ore too profoundly or if the amount of iron, zinc, or lead is unusually high. The product has a mass percentage of 98% pure baryte; the purity should be at least 95%, with negligible amounts of silicon dioxide and iron. 
  • An argon atmosphere is used to condense and pack barium vapor into molds. This process produces ultrapure barium, which is used commercially. Typically, barium is approximately 99% pure; the major impurities are calcium and strontium, with additional contaminants making up less than 0.1% of the total.
  • At 1,200 °C (2,190 °F), a comparable reaction with silicon produces barium and barium metasilicate. Barium dissolves easily in molten halides, which is impure; thus, electrolysis is not used.
  • Gemstone. Barium concentrations in upper ocean seawater are generally stable, except in areas with significant upwelling and large river imports. Lateral mixing is crucial because there is a slight decrease in barium levels in the upper ocean for an ion with a nutrient-like profile.

APPLICATIONS

  • Metal and alloys. TV picture tubes and other vacuum tubes are used to remove undesired gases by either using barium as a metal or by alloying it with aluminum. Barium is a good choice for this application because of its low vapor pressure and reactivity with oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water. It can even partially eliminate noble gases by disintegrating them in the crystal lattice. This application is becoming less and less common as tubeless LCD, LED, and plasma sets gain favor. Minor applications for elemental barium also include refining the structure of silumin (aluminum-silicon alloys) by adding barium.
  • Barium sulfate and baryte. The compound’s precipitate, known as “blanc fixe” (which translates to “permanent white” in French), is used in paints and varnishes, as a pigment for paper coating, and as a filler in ringing ink, plastics, and rubbers.
  • Other Barium compounds. 
    • A covering of barium oxide facilitates electron release from fluorescent lamp electrodes.
    • Barium carbonate, because of its high atomic density, improves the sheen and refractive index of glass 5 and lessens X-ray leaks from CRT television sets.
    • Barium gives fireworks a yellow or “apple” green hue when  employed as barium nitrate; barium chloride is used to create a dazzling green color.
    • In the aluminothermic reaction (thermite), barium peroxide acts as a catalyst to weld rail rails. In addition, it is a bleaching agent and a green flare in tracer ammunition.
  • Palaeoceanography. Ocean circulation and water mass mixing lead to the lateral combining of barium. Dissolved barium and silicic acid show a substantial link with global ocean circulation. There is a comparable connection between dissolved barium and ocean alkalinity when large-scale ocean circulation is coupled with barium remineralization.
  • The relationship between dissolved barium and silicic acid is observable in both vertical and geographical dimensions. Particulate barium and particulate organic carbon, or POC, have a robust relationship. 
  • One of the proxies that can offer a wealth of historical data on activities in various maritime environments (water column, sediments, and hydrothermal sites) is the barium particle barite (BaSO4). 
  • The isotopic and elemental makeup of the barite particle varies depending on the situation. Marine or pelagic barite, a barite found in the water column, provides insight into changes in seawater chemistry over time. Sedimentary redox processes can be inferred from barite found in sediments, also referred to as diagenetic or cold seeps barite.

TOXICITY

  • Barium does not bioaccumulate and is not carcinogenic. A benign illness known as baritosis can develop in the lungs due to inhaled dust containing insoluble barium compounds. Transport regulations do not classify insoluble sulfate as a dangerous good because it is harmless.
  • Barium metal is stored under mineral oils or in an argon atmosphere to prevent a possibly violent chemical reaction. Air contact can ignite something and is dangerous. The following should be avoided: moisture, friction, heat, fires, sparks, shocks, static electricity, and contact with acids and oxidizers.

Barium Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Barium across 29 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Barium. Barium is not a free element due to its excellent chemical reactivity.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Barium Facts
  2. Barium AlkaLINE UP
  3. Fact or Forged?
  4. #Barium_Matters
  5. BariuMultipurpose
  6. Earth Metal Spotting
  7. Barium vs. Calcium
  8. Get To Know Barium!
  9. History in a Nutshell
  10. He-LAW!
  11. Life Without Barium

Frequently Asked Questions

What is barium, and where can it be found?

Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal. Barium is never found in nature in its pure form due to its high reactivity. Instead, it occurs in minerals such as barite (barium sulfate, BaSO₄) and witherite (barium carbonate, BaCO₃).

What are the common uses of barium?

Barium has several important uses:

  • Medical imaging: Barium sulfate is used in radiology for imaging the digestive system. It is ingested as a contrast agent to improve the visibility of the gastrointestinal tract on X-ray images.
  • Industrial applications: Barium compounds are used in manufacturing glass, ceramics, and certain types of rubber. Barium sulfate is also used as a drilling fluid additive in oil and gas exploration.
  • Fireworks: Barium compounds, such as barium nitrate, are used to produce green colors in fireworks.

What are the potential health effects of barium exposure?

Exposure to barium, particularly in soluble forms, can be harmful to health:

  • Acute exposure: Ingesting or inhaling soluble barium compounds can cause muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, changes in heart rhythm, and gastrointestinal issues like vomiting and diarrhea.
  • Chronic exposure: Long-term exposure can affect the kidneys, cardiovascular system, and may lead to hypertension. However, barium sulfate, due to its insolubility, is generally considered non-toxic when ingested for medical imaging purposes.

How is barium used in medical diagnostics?

Barium sulfate is used in a procedure known as a barium swallow or barium meal, where the patient ingests a barium sulfate suspension. This suspension coats the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and intestines, making them visible on X-ray images. This helps doctors diagnose conditions such as blockages, tumors, ulcers, and other abnormalities in the digestive tract.

What safety precautions should be taken when handling barium?

When handling barium and its compounds, especially soluble ones, several safety precautions should be observed:

  • Personal protective equipment (PPE): Wear gloves, protective clothing, and safety goggles to prevent skin and eye contact.
  • Ventilation: Ensure proper ventilation or use fume hoods when working with barium powders or solutions to avoid inhalation.
  • Storage: Store barium compounds in tightly sealed containers, away from moisture and incompatible materials such as strong acids.
  • Emergency measures: In case of accidental exposure, seek medical attention immediately and follow appropriate first-aid measures like rinsing the skin or eyes and providing fresh air if inhaled.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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