Francium is a chemical element with the symbol Fr and atomic number 87. Francium was discovered by Marguerite Perey in France (from which the element takes its name) in 1939. It was the last element first discovered in nature rather than by synthesis. Due to its instability and rarity, there are no commercial applications for francium.

Alkali Metals and Alkaline Earth Metals

The alkali metals (group 1) have very similar properties: they are all shiny, soft, highly reactive metals at standard temperature and pressure and readily lose their outermost electron to form cations with charge +1. The alkaline earth metals are all shiny, silvery-white, somewhat reactive metals at standard temperature and pressure.

The alkali metals are a group (column) in the periodic table consisting of the chemical elements lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and francium (Fr).