Barium is a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal that forms dense salts and has specialized industrial and medical uses.
Properties of Barium | It commonly forms +2 cations, produces characteristic green colors in flames and reacts with water to form hydroxides.
Uses of Barium | Barium compounds are used in drilling fluids, ceramics, glass and barium sulfate is used as an X ray contrast agent.
Isotopes of Barium | Stable isotope Ba 138 and others exist; soluble barium compounds are toxic and require careful handling while barium sulfate is inert and used medically.