Francium occurs as a result of a disintegration of actinium. Francium is found in uranium minerals, and can be made artificially by bombarding thorium with protons. It is the most unstable of the first 101 elements. The longest lived isotope, 223Fr, a daughter of 227Ac, has a half-life of 22 minutes. This is the only isotope of francium occurring in nature, but at most there is only 20-30 g of the element present in the Earth's crust at anyone time. No weighable quantity of the element has been prepared or isolated. There are about 20 known isotopes.
Francium is a chemical element with the symbol Fr and atomic number 87. It is a highly radioactive metal that is extremely rare in nature. This is because it has a very short half-life of only 22 minutes, meaning that it decays quickly into other elements.
Due to its rarity, Francium is considered valuable by many scientists and collectors. It is also highly reactive, making it useful in nuclear reactions and as a source of gamma rays in medical imaging.
Because Francium is so rare and difficult to obtain, it is not typically bought or sold. Therefore, it does not have a set monetary value like other elements. However, some estimates have placed its value at around $1 million per gram.
Yes, Francium is highly radioactive and can be dangerous if handled improperly. It can cause serious health issues and should only be handled by trained professionals in controlled environments. However, due to its short half-life, it is not typically considered a significant environmental or health hazard.
Francium's high radioactivity makes it useful in studying nuclear reactions and decay processes. It can also be used in experiments to understand the behavior of other elements and to create new elements. Additionally, its short half-life makes it useful in medical imaging and cancer treatments.