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Origin / Meaning of the name Thorium
Thorium was named
after Thor, the Norse God of War.
Periodic Table Group and Classification of the of the Thorium Element
Elements can be classified based on their physical states (States
of Matter) e.g. gas, solid or liquid. This element is a solid. Thorium is
classified
as an element in the Actinide series as one of the "Rare Earth
Elements" which can located in Group 3 elements of the Periodic
Table and in the 6th and 7th periods. The Rare Earth Elements are
of the Lanthanide and Actinide series. Most of the elements in the
Actinide series are synthetic or man-made. Nearly 75%
of all the elements in the Periodic Table are classified as
metals which are detailed in the
List of Metals.
Facts about the
Discovery and
History of the Thorium
Element
Thorium was discovered by
Jons Jacob Berzelius
in Sweden in 1828.
History of the Periodic Table
Check out the brief
History of the
Periodic Table which details dates and the names of famous
scientists and chemists who contributed to the development of
the Periodic Table.
Occurrence of the Thorium Element
Monazite is the primary source of thorium
Abundances of the element in different environments
% in Universe
4×10-8%
% in Sun 3×10-8%
% in Meteorites 3.9×10-6%
% in Earth's Crust 0.0006%
% in Oceans 4×10-12%
% in Humans None
Associated Uses of Thorium
Nuclear fuel
Uranium and thorium
has been used to date hominid fossils. |
