AMERICIUM Meaning and
Definition
-
Americium is a synthetic chemical element with the atomic number 95 and symbol Am. It belongs to the actinide series, a group of elements that contains mostly radioactive elements. Americium was first discovered in 1944 by a team of scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, led by Glenn T. Seaborg and Ralph A. James. It was named after the Americas, reflecting its discovery by American scientists.
As a radioactive metal, americium has numerous isotopes, but the most stable one is americium-243. It is primarily produced in nuclear reactors or through neutron bombardment of plutonium-239. Americium has a silvery-white appearance and tarnishes slowly in air. Its physical and chemical properties resemble those of lanthanides, another group of elements.
Due to its radioactivity, americium has many practical applications. It is commonly used in smoke detectors, where its alpha particles ionize the air and trigger an electrical current to detect smoke. Americium is also employed in medical and industrial radiography as a gamma radiation source. In nuclear fuel, americium plays a role in optimizing the performance of reactors. Additionally, it finds uses in some nuclear weapons and research facilities.
Due to its radioactive nature, americium requires controlled handling, disposal, and containment to avoid harm to human health and the environment. It poses health risks if ingested, inhaled, or exposed through direct contact. Protective measures are crucial when working with or near americium, including the use of appropriate shielding and equipment to minimize exposure to radiation.
Common Misspellings for AMERICIUM
Etymology of AMERICIUM
The word "americium" comes from the name of the continent, America. Americium is named after America as it was discovered by a team of scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, led by Glenn T. Seaborg, in 1944. They synthesized the element by bombarding plutonium-239 with neutrons in a nuclear reactor. Since they had discovered another element, curium, during the same experiments, they decided to name the new element americium to honor America and because of its similarity to europium, an element commonly found in the lanthanide series.
Similar spelling words for AMERICIUM
- american,
- American Elm,
- amerce,
- americanize,
- American Ivy,
- amercement,
- americanism,
- amoristic,
- amharic,
- americana,
- americanise,
- america.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
