The chemistry of polonium is not well known because

Options

A. it is difficult to extract
B. it is very scarce
C. it is highly reactive
D. it iis radioactive

Answer

4

Explanation

All isotopes of polonium (discovered by Marie Curie by processing very large amounts of thorium and uranium minerals and separating the decay products)are highly radioactive.The most stable isotope is `._(84)^(120)(Po)`, but this ab intense `alpha` emitter and has a half lige of `138`days. The `alpha` emission decomposes water, which complicates any studies of `Po` compounds in aqueous solutions.Thus,the chemistry of `Po` is not known. Polonium is one of the decay products
`._(82)^(210)Pbunderset(f_(1//2=22.3y))overset(beta)rarr ._(83)^(210)Biunderset(f_1//2=5.0d)overset(beta)rarr ._(84)^(210)Pounderset(t_1//2=5.0d)overset(alpha)rarr ._(82)^(206)Pb`
Polonium is now made arifically in gram qunatities from bismuth by neutron irradiation in a nuclear reactor. The metal is extracted by submission:
`._(83)^(209)Bi+_(0)^(1)n rarr_(83)^(210)Bi rarr_(84)^(210)Po +_(-1)^(0)e`