Strontium Facts for Kids

Strontium - Periodic Table of Elements
  • Name: Strontium
  • Symbol: Sr
  • Atomic Number: 38
  • Atomic Weight: 87.62 u
  • Period: 5
  • Group: 2

23 Strontium Facts for Kids

  1. Strontium is a chemical element on the periodic table.
  2. Strontium is a soft metal that is highly chemically reactive.
  3. Strontium has a yellowish silvery-white color.
  4. The symbol for strontium is Sr.
  5. The atomic number for strontium is 38.
  6. The standard atomic weight for strontium is 87.62 u.
  7. Strontium is a solid at room temperature.
  8. Strontium is in the alkaline earth metal element category on the periodic table.
  9. Strontium is a period 5 chemical element, which is the fifth row on the periodic table.
  10. Strontium is a group 2 chemical element, which is the alkaline earth metal group.
  11. Strontium is in the s-block on the periodic table of elements.
  12. The electron configuration for strontium is [Kr] 5s2.
  13. The electrons per shell for strontium are 2, 8, 18, 8, 2.
  14. Strontium has four known stable isotopes.
  15. The four strontium stable isotopes are 84Sr, 86Sr, 87Sr and 88Sr.
  16. 88Sr accounts for over 80% of all natural strontium.
  17. In 1790, Scottish chemists Adair Crawford and William Cruickshank discovered that strontian ore was probably a new chemical element.
  18. In 1808, Cornish chemist Humphry Davy first isolated strontium using electrolysis.
  19. Strontium is the 15th most abundant element on Earth.
  20. The compound strontium aluminate is commonly used in toys that glow in the dark.
  21. The compound strontium carbonate is commonly used in pyrotechnics to add a deep red color.
  22. The compound strontium chloride is a common ingredient t in toothpastes for people with sensitive teeth.
  23. The radioactive isotope strontium-89 is used as a treatment for metastatic bone cancer.

Additional Resources on the Chemical Element Strontium

  • Strontium – Learn more about the chemical element strontium on the U.S. National Library of Medicine website.
  • Strontium (Sr) – Discover more facts about strontium on the Royal Society of Chemistry website.
  • Strontium – Wikipedia – Find more strontium facts on the Wikipedia website.

About the author
Facts Editor

This is an author profile for articles that are created from a collaborative effort. It is not uncommon that articles on this site were either written, researched or fact checked by several authors and team members. So this author profile will be displayed to reflect that. Our team of editors, writers and fact checkers do extensive research before publishing articles on the site, and we do our best to provide the most accurate information possible.