ACTINIUM Meaning and
Definition
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Actinium is a radioactive, metallic chemical element with the symbol Ac and atomic number 89. It belongs to the actinide series and is typically found in trace amounts in uranium ores. Actinium was discovered in 1899 by the French physicist André-Louis Debierne and independently in 1902 by Friedrich Oskar Giesel. It is named after the Greek word "aktis," which means "ray" or "beam," due to its highly radioactive nature.
Actinium is a silvery-white, lustrous metal that reacts with oxygen and moisture in the air, developing a characteristic blue-green glow, similar to what is observed with phosphorus. Because of its intense radioactivity, actinium is potentially dangerous and requires careful handling. It has no significant commercial use due to its scarcity and extremely high radioactivity, but it has found applications in scientific research, particularly in nuclear physics and medicine.
Actinium-227 is the most stable isotope, having a half-life of approximately 21 years. It undergoes alpha decay, emitting alpha particles to form thorium-227. This decay process is accompanied by the emission of gamma radiation, making actinium an important contributor to the overall background radiation on Earth.
Despite its limited practical uses, actinium has contributed significantly to our understanding of nuclear reactions, radioactivity, and the isotopic dating of rocks and minerals. Additionally, it has been utilized in the medical field for targeted radiation therapy to treat certain types of cancer.
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An element, symbol Ac, discovered by Debierne in pitchblende; its disintegration product (radioactinium) is radioactive, but actinium itself appears to be rayless. The four known actinium emanations are called respectively actinium A, B, C, and D.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for ACTINIUM
Etymology of ACTINIUM
The word "actinium" comes from the Greek word "aktinos", meaning "ray" or "beam". This name was chosen because actinium was discovered as a product of the decay of uranium, emitting strong radioactive rays. The element was first isolated in 1899 by Friedrich Oskar Giesel, who named it "actinium" due to its strong radiation properties.
Similar spelling words for ACTINIUM
- actinian,
- actiniarian,
- actinic,
- actinomeris,
- actinium-228,
- actinidia,
- acidimetry,
- actin,
- acetum,
- actinia,
- actinolite,
- acetone,
- acting,
- actinomycin,
- actinic ray,
- actinometer,
- octennium,
- acetonuria,
- actinometry,
- acetonemia,
- actinaria,
- eka-actinium,
- actinide,
- actinomyces,
- actinium-227,
- actinium-225,
- acidimetric,
- actinon,
- action,
- actinism,
- acetonic,
- actium,
- actiniaria,
- actinal,
- actinoid,
- actinozoan.
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