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francium

Definition

Francium is a chemical element with the symbol Fr and atomic number 87. It is the heaviest alkali metal and the second-least electronegative element, behind only caesium. Francium is a highly radioactive element with a half-life of only 22 minutes. It is also the rarest naturally occurring element, with an estimated abundance of only 200 grams in the Earth's crust.

Francium was first discovered in 1939 by Marguerite Perey, a French chemist. She was studying the decay products of actinium when she found a new element with a very short half-life. She named the element francium after France, her home country.

Francium is a very unstable element and does not have any practical applications. It is only used in scientific research.

How can the word be used?

Francium is a very radioactive element.

francium

Different forms of the word

Noun: francium, franciums.

Adjective: francium.

Adverb: franciumly.

Etymology

The word "francium" is named after France, where it was first discovered in 1939 by Marguerite Perey. The name "francium" is a combination of the Latin word Francus, which means "French", and the suffix -ium, which is commonly used to name chemical elements.

Question

Who discovered francium?