Barium-136 Nitrate Isotope

See more Barium products. Barium (atomic symbol: Ba, atomic number: 56) is a Block S, Group 2, Period 6 element with an atomic weight of 137.27. The number of electrons in each of barium's shells is [2, 8, 18, 18, 8, 2] and its electron configuration is [Xe] 6s². Barium is a member of the alkaline-earth metals. The barium atom has a radius of 222 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 268 pm. Barium was discovered by Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1772 and first isolated by Humphry Davy in 1808. In its elemental form, barium is a soft, silvery-gray metal. Industrial applications for barium include acting as a "getter," or unwanted gas remover, for vacuum tubes, and as an additive to steel and cast iron. Barium is also alloyed with silicon and aluminum in load-bearing alloys. The main commercial source of barium is the mineral barite (BaSO₄); it does not occur naturally as a free element . The name barium is derived from the Greek word "barys," meaning heavy.