Radium oxide is an inorganic compound of radium and oxygen with the chemical formula RaO.
Synthesis The compound can be obtained by heating metallic radium in air:
This reaction also produces radium nitride and possibly radium peroxide:
Chemical properties Radium oxide can react with water to form radium hydroxide:
Uses It is often used as a precursor to create other radium compounds that are used in radiation therapy.
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