Francium (Fr) Fun Facts

87 Fr
Superhero Identity

"The Fleeting Phantom, the most unstable hero of the first 101, disappearing in a flash of energy."

The true essence of Francium (Fr) on the molecular frontier.

Appearance

Francium is a highly radioactive and reactive alkali metal.

Everyday Connection

Francium has no everyday connection due to its extreme instability.

In Pop Culture

Francium�s most stable isotope has a half-life of only 22 minutes.

Revision Hub

Master the elements with smart drills and quick revision sheets.

Revise

Did You Know?

1

It is the second rarest element in nature, after astatine. It is estimated that there are only about 20-30 grams of it in the entire Earth's crust at any time.

2

It is the most unstable of the first 101 elements; its most stable isotope has a half-life of only 22 minutes.

3

It was the last naturally occurring element to be discovered, identified in 1939 by Marguerite Perey in Paris. She named it after her home country, France.

4

As an alkali metal, it is predicted to be the most reactive metal on the periodic table, though it's too unstable to ever gather enough to test this.

5

It has no commercial applications and is only used for scientific research.