A
chemical element, in the
periodic table polonium has the symbol Po and atom number 84. Polonium has more
isotopes than any other element, all of which are
radioactive. It dissolves readily in dilute
acids, but is only slightly soluble in
alkalis. Weight for weight polonium is about 2.5 x 10
11 times as toxic as [hydrocyanic acid]
? (HCN). Polonium has been found in
tobacco as a contaminant and in
uranium ores.
Discovered by Marie Sklodowska-Curie in 1898 and named after her home country - Poland.