APPLICATIONS OF THORIUM

Thorium serves many purposes in today's world and was also very useful before the dangerous radioactive property of the element was discovered.  In the past, it was used in gas mantles and toothpaste.  Today it is useful for many different things including a coat for tungsten wire, nuclear fuel, and Thorium Oxide (ThO₂) is added to some glasses that require special properties (eg. camera lens).

<-- a thorium gas mantle

<-- a lens with thorium glass

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