Appearance and Characteristics
Harmful effects:
Californium is harmful due to its radioactivity.
Characteristics:
Californium is a synthetic radioactive silvery-white metal of moderate chemical reactivity. It is a relatively soft, malleable metal and is easily cut with a razor-blade. It slowly tarnishes in air to the oxide at room temperature. (2) Californium-252 is a very strong neutron emitter.
Uses of Californium
Californium-252 (half-life of 2.645 years) is produced in nuclear reactors and has found a variety of uses.
It is used as a neutron emitter, providing neutrons for the start-up of nuclear reactors.
It has also been used as a target material for producing transcalifornium elements. Ununoctium, the heaviest of the elements, was produced when a californium target was bombarded with calcium ions. (2a)
Californium-252 is used in to treat cervical cancer. It is also used to analyze the sulfur content of petroleum and in neutron moisture gauges to measure the moisture content of soil. (3)