Californium is a radioactive
metal. Californium is a very strong neutron emitter. It
is used in portable metal detectors, for identifying gold and
silver ores, to identify water and oil layers in oil wells and
to detect metal fatigue and stress in aeroplanes. Californium
has no known biological role.
Californium is
a silvery-white
actinide metal with a melting point of **0 ± *0 °C (1,**0
± *0 °F) and an estimated boiling point of 1,**3 K (1,**0
°C; 2,**0 °F). The pure metal is malleable and is
easily cut with a razor blade.
Silver-white and metallic in
appearance, with a melting point of approximately
**0°C. It is malleable and can be cut using a
razor blade. The material has a half-life of
2.**5 years and is a strong neutron emitter,
meaning it is extremely radioactive, and not
normally found in nature.
