Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

synthetic, radioactive chemical element, originally obtained by bombarding curium-242 with helium ions in a cyclotron. Californium-252 is a strong neutron emitter used in moisture gauges and in geology to determine water and oil-bearing layers. Some astronomers suggest that californium is produced in certain supernovae, or stellar explosions. Californium was discovered by Stanley G. Thompson, Kenneth Street, Jr., Albert Ghiorso, and Glenn T. Seaborg in 1950.

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Element Properties
Symbol Cf
Atomic number 98
Atomic weight 251
Group in periodic table IIIb
Melting point ca.1,652° F (900° C)