Barium
Bario (Ba, Z=56)
- Date
- 1808 · confidence high
- Place
- Royal Institution, London, United Kingdom
- Credited to
- Humphry Davy
- People
- 👤 Carl Wilhelm Scheele1742–1786👤 Humphry Davy1778–1829
- Field
- Matter & energy
What was discovered
Scheele recognised barite as a new earth in 1774; Davy isolated the metal by electrolysis of molten salts in 1808.
The name comes from the Greek 'barys', heavy.
What it led to
- Barium sulfate radiological contrast
- Green fireworks
- The discovery of nuclear fission (Hahn detected barium in 1938)
Built on
- Phosphorescent Bologna stone
- Davy's electrolysis
Made possible
- Barium meal
- YBCO superconductor