| Name | californium |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Cf |
| Atomic Weight | 251.08 |
| Atomic Number | 98 |
| CAS ID | 7440-71-3 |
| Group Number | (none) |
| Group Name | Actinoid |
| Period Number | 7 |
| Origin of Name | After the state, California, USA |
| Year Discovered | 1950 |
| Discovery Credits | Produced by S. G. Thompson, K. Street Jr., A. Ghiorso, and G. T. Seaborg at Berkeley, CA, USA |
| Class | Metallic |
| Color | Unknown, but probably metallic and silvery white or gray in appearance |
| Standard State | Solid at 77 F & 298 K |
| Description | Radioactive, silvery metal which does not occur naturally. Attacked by oxygen, steam, and acids, but not alkalis. Cf 252 is used in cancer therapy and is a potent source of thermal neutrons. |