Thorium ( /ˈθɔəriəm/ thohr-ee-əm) is a natural radioactive chemical element with the symbol Th and atomic number 90. It was discovered in 1828 and named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder.
In nature, virtually all thorium is found thorium-232, and it decays by emitting an alpha particle, and has a half-life of about 14.05 billion years (other, trace-level isotopes of thorium are short-lived intermediates of decay chains). It is estimated to be ...
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Thorium ( /ˈθɔəriəm/ thohr-ee-əm) is a natural radioactive chemical element with the symbol Th and atomic number 90. It was discovered in 1828 and named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder.
In nature, virtually all thorium is found thorium-232, and it decays by emitting an alpha particle, and has a half-life of about 14.05 billion years (other, trace-level isotopes of thorium are short-lived intermediates of decay chains). It is estimated to be about three times more abundant than uranium in the Earth's crust and is a by-product of the extraction of rare earths from monazite sands. Thorium was formerly used commonly as (for example) the light source in gas mantles and as an alloying material, but these applications have declined due to concerns about its radioactivity.
Countries like Russia, India and China now have plans to use thorium for their nuclear power for various reasons, including its safety benefits, its high absolute abundance and relative abundance compared to uranium....
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