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actinium

Primary Information
Secondary Information

Definition

Actinium is a chemical element with the symbol Ac and atomic number 89. It is a radioactive element that is found in nature as a decay product of uranium. Actinium is a silvery-white metal that is soft and has a low melting point. It is also highly radioactive, and it emits alpha particles.

Actinium was discovered in 1899 by Pierre and Marie Curie. They were studying the radioactive decay of uranium when they discovered actinium. Actinium is named after the Greek word "aktis", which means "ray".

Actinium is not very common in nature, but it is found in some uranium ores. It is also produced artificially in nuclear reactors. Actinium is used in a variety of applications, including:

  • Radioactive dating: Actinium can be used to date geological materials by measuring the amount of its radioactive decay products.
  • Medical imaging: Actinium is used in some medical imaging procedures, such as bone scans.
  • Smoke detectors: Actinium is used in some smoke detectors to detect the presence of smoke.

Actinium is a dangerous element, and it can be harmful to human health. It is important to handle actinium with care and to take precautions to avoid exposure.

How can the word be used?

Actinium can also be used to refer to a radioactive substance that is found in nature as a decay product of uranium.

actinium

Different forms of the word

Noun:

actinium (no plural form).

a chemical element with the symbol Ac and atomic number 89.

Adjective:

  • actinium.
  • relating to or containing actinium.

Verb:

  • actinize.
  • to expose to actinium radiation.

Etymology

The word actinium comes from the Greek word "aktis", which means "ray". It was named after this because actinium emits alpha particles, which are a type of radiation.

Question

What is actinium?

AQA Science Exam Question and Answer

Question:

Explain the position of actinium (Ac) in the Periodic Table and its key properties. Additionally, mention one significant application of actinium.

Answer:

Actinium (Ac) is an element placed in the actinide series, specifically below lanthanum (La) in the seventh row of the Periodic Table. It is a silvery-white, soft, and highly radioactive metal. The most stable isotope is Actinium-227, which emits alpha particles during radioactive decay. One significant application of actinium is its use as a neutron source in scientific research and certain industrial applications.