Thallium - Tales from the Periodic Table

[@kenbrady119]

Thank you as always for these elemental presentations. I've long been fascinated by thallium because of its unexpected similarity (in its +1 state) to alkali metals. But I must register amazement that the heaviest Thallium isotope is 2112 AU. Wow - that's one heavy green twig, probably fell off the tree! Love the liquid temperature range innovation.

[@ronhipschman]

I assume that you really meant 212 AU, but just had a key-bounce in there... unless you were referring to the Rush song, which is also great. Ron

[@jeffreysoreff9588]

@@ronhipschman Great video! I do think there was a key bounce - but it looks like it made its way to the isotopes slide... These things happen. (5:54 in the video)

[@brfisher1123]

Certain radioisotopes do actually occur naturally albeit via the decay series of thorium and uranium such as 208Tl in the 232Th decay chain.

[@sydhenderson6753]

Technically, Thallium 205 is the end product of the Neptunium series, though for practical purposes it's Bismuth 209, which has a half life around 10^18 years. This assumes Thallium 205 is stable but it may also have an extremely long half life,

[@ronhipschman]

Acknowledged... but I don't count things like that. You'd have a VERY hard time finding any Thallium 208 anywhere since it has a half-life of only 3 minutes. As soon as it's generated, it's essentially gone. (Though it technically does exist...) Ron

[@ronhipschman]

Thallium 205 is "observationally stable" but is theorized to decay by alpha to Gold 201. I see Bismuth 209 with a half-life of 2x10^19 years (1.5 billion times the age of the universe!). But we'll get to that in a couple months... Ron

[@brfisher1123]

@@ronhipschman True, however new 208Tl nuclei are also constantly replenished at the same rate as the old ones decay away. Once the entire decay chain of 232Th reaches secular equilibrium there will always be some 208Tl until all of the 232Th decays away in God knows how long given the ridiculously long 14,000,000,000 year half-life of 232Th, that stuff isn’t going anywhere anytime soon! lol 😂

[@jeffreysoreff9588]

@@ronhipschman For lifetimes this long (the 2x10^19 yr of Bi-209), does moles/Bq (about 1047) become the SI unit of choice? 🙂

[@sydhenderson6753]

Thallium cream also used to be used to treat ringworm. Thallium poisons by blocking potassium channels which are in all cells, hence the variety of symptoms and its ability to kill a wide variety of things.

[@ronhipschman]

Syd, I neglected to add that bit about ringworm. Thanks for the elaboration of the mechanism. Ron

[@sydhenderson6753]

@@ronhipschman Using it for ringworm wasn't a good idea because it can be absorbed through the skin. Prussian blue works because it likes thallium more than potassium. Really amazing substance, discovered by accident, too.

[@jimiwills]

Excellent ❤ subscribed 😊

[@ronhipschman]

Thanks for the sub! I'll do my best to live up to your expectations! Ron

[@95_Nepentheses]

Gotta get me some of that Thallium 2112 😝

[@ronhipschman]

It's the Rush "Special Edition" of the element! Ron PS. Thanks everyone for catching that mistake! But, KZbin does not allow edits as far as I know. I'd lose all credit for your dutiful watching if I replaced the video... Sorry.

[@95_Nepentheses]

@@ronhipschman it happens, was good for a chuckle

[@sirjeffels4020]

Why am I watching this? I don't need to know anything about Thallium... And why am I going to watch videos on all the other elements? What's wrong with me? Can you do common (or uncommon) compounds next? (e.g. NH3, TNT, CO)

[@VoidHalo]

Why should there be anything wrong with curiosity? Just let it be and enjoy the ride.

[@ronhipschman]

I often ask myself the same questions! Ron

[@petermccavington8232]

Why am I reading your comment? I wanted to watch a video. 😢😢😢