Barium fluoride Barium fluoride Barium fluoride (BaF) is a chemical compound of barium and fluorine and is a salt. It is a solid which can be a transparent crystal. It occurs in nature as the mineral frankdicksonite. The solid adopts the fluorite structure and at high pressure the PbCl structure. In the vapor phase the BaF molecule is non-linear with an F-Ba-F angle of approximately 108°. This is an exception to VSEPR theory which would predict a linear structure. Ab initio calculations have been cited to propose that contributions from d orbitals in the shell below the valence shell are responsible. Another
Chemical element to cause chemical effects), the isotopes of a given element are chemically nearly indistinguishable. All of the elements have some isotopes that are radioactive (radioisotopes), although not all of these radioisotopes occur naturally. The radioisotopes typically decay into other elements upon radiating an alpha or beta particle. If an element has isotopes that are not radioactive, these are termed "stable" isotopes. All of the known stable isotopes occur naturally (see primordial isotope). The many radioisotopes that are not found in nature have been characterized after being artificially made. Certain elements have no stable isotopes and are composed "only" of radioactive