Radium oxide is an inorganic compound of radium and oxygen with the chemical formula RaO.

Synthesis

The compound can be obtained by heating metallic radium in air:

2Ra + O2 → 2RaO

This reaction also produces radium nitride and possibly radium peroxide:

3Ra + N2 → Ra3N2 Ra + O2 → RaO2

Chemical properties

Radium oxide can react with water to form radium hydroxide:

RaO + H2O → Ra(OH)2

Uses

It is often used as a precursor to create other radium compounds that are used in radiation therapy.