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Element 81 - Thallium (Tl)
From
thallos
, or a young shoot--its spectrum is a bright-green line; discovered in 1861. Its chief use in in thallium sulfate--a deadly rat poison. Odorless and tasteless, it is mixed with starch, sugar, glycerine, and water to make an inviting if ominous "treat" for household rodents.
Properties
Atomic Number
:
81
Atomic Weight
:
204.383
Electron Configuration
(at ground state):
1s
2
2s
2
2p
6
3s
2
3p
6
3d
10
4s
2
4p
6
4d
10
4f
14
5s
2
5p
6
5d
10
6s
2
6p
1
Oxidation States
(Bold most stable):
+3,
+1
Boiling Point
(K):
1746
Melting Point (K):
577
Density
(at 300K -- g/cm
3
):
11.85
Atomic Volume (at 300K -- cm
3
/mol)
17.20
Number of stable
isotopes
:
2
Number of natural
radioactive
isotopes:
4
Mass Number
(Bold naturally occurring) --
Half-Life
--
Disintigration Type
:
204 -- 3.77 years --
beta particle
(
electron
) emission
Covalent Radius (Å):
1.48
Atomic Radius (Å):
1.71
First
Ionization Potential
(V):
6.108
Electronegativity
(Pauling's):
2.04
Specific Heat
Capacity (at 300K -- J g
-1
K
-1
):
0.129
Heat of Vaporization (kJ/mol):
162.09
Heat of Fusion (kJ/mol):
4.27
Electrical Conductivity (at 293K for polycrystalline material -- 10
6
-1
cm
-1
):
5.6
Thermal Conductivity (at 300K -- W m
-1
K
-1
):
46.1
Crystal Structure:
Hexagonal
Acid
-
Base
Properties:
Very basic