Actinium
Actinium
Actinium (pronunciation: /ækˈtɪniəm/) is a chemical element with the symbol Ac and atomic number 89. It was first discovered in 1899 by Friedrich Oskar Giesel and is named after the Greek word 'aktinos', meaning 'ray'.
Etymology
The name Actinium comes from the Greek word 'aktinos', which means 'ray'. This is in reference to the element's strong radioactivity. Actinium was the first non-primordial radioactive element to be isolated.
Properties
Actinium is a silvery, radioactive, metallic element. It is part of the actinide series of elements on the periodic table and is the first of this series. It is more similar to the lanthanides than to other actinides. Actinium is a soft, silvery-white, radioactive, metallic element. Its estimated shear modulus is similar to that of lead.
Uses
Actinium is used in the production of neutrons. When combined with beryllium, it is used as a neutron source in the oil well logging industry. It is also used in medicine, specifically in radiation therapy for cancer.
Related Terms
- Actinide series: The actinide series is a series of 15 metallic elements on the periodic table, from actinium to lawrencium.
- Radioactivity: Radioactivity is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation.
- Neutron source: A neutron source is any device that emits neutrons, irrespective of the process used to produce the neutrons.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy or radiotherapy is therapy using ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Actinium
- Wikipedia's article - Actinium
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