Whathappensif
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Why does Radium form a nitride and not oxide?
Curious behavior. Anyone know any other elements that burn to preferentially form a nitride instead of an oxide?
Why does this happen?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium
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Radium is a chemical element with the symbol Ra and atomic number 88. It is the sixth element in group 2 of the periodic table, also known as the
alkaline earth metals. Pure radium is silvery-white, but it readily reacts with nitrogen (rather than oxygen) on exposure to air, forming a black
surface layer of radium nitride (Ra3N2). |
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Mateo_swe
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Maybe due to the alpha radiation radium emits.
It would be interesting to know why that happens.
Any nuclear hobbyists here?
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RedDwarf
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I don't think it to do with the radioactivity as all the alkaline earth metals from magnesium onwards produce a mixture of oxide and nitride when
burnt in air, and I think the propensity to produce nitride increases as you go down the group. As to why, I've still no idea.
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phlogiston
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It is discussed on this page.
They attribute it to the high lattice energy of the nitrides, due to the highy charged ions involved (2+ and 3-).
BTW, I suspect aluminium also forms nitrides to a lesser extent upon heating in air, as I've noticed a strong ammonia smell when casting aluminium
objects and quenching them in water.
I doubt there is a very significant difference in the rate at which Ba and Ra form nitrides or oxides. If there was, surely it would have been
exploited to separate Ra from Ba.
[Edited on 11-7-2020 by phlogiston]
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"If a rocket goes up, who cares where it comes down, that's not my concern said Wernher von Braun" - Tom Lehrer |
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