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californium-249
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californium-249

chemical isotope
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Quick Summary

Californium-249 is a synthetic isotope of californium, a chemical element with atomic number 98. It is not found in nature and is highly radioactive. Californium was discovered in 1950 by American scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, and named after the state where it was found.1

Californium-249 has a half-life of 351 years and is used in tracer studies to investigate californium's chemistry and to prepare compounds like its oxychloride, oxides, and trichlorides. While other isotopes of californium exist, such as californium-252, which is valuable as a neutron source, californium-249's primary use is in laboratory research.12

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. californium
  2. californium
  3. fermium

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