The chemical element "samarium" is pronounced /səˈmɛəriəm/ (suh-MAIR-ee-əm) in IPA phonetic transcription. The spelling of this word may seem confusing due to the presence of two consecutive vowel sounds. However, the first "a" is pronounced as a schwa sound /ə/ which is a neutral vowel sound. The stress is on the second syllable, which is common for many scientific terms. Therefore, the correct spelling and pronunciation of "samarium" can be easily remembered using the IPA pronunciation guide.
Samarium is a chemical element with the symbol "Sm" and the atomic number 62, belonging to the lanthanide series in the periodic table. It is a soft, silvery-white metal that is relatively stable in dry air but can easily oxidize when exposed to moist air or water. Discovered in 1879 by Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran, samarium is named after the mineral samarskite from which it was first isolated.
In terms of its applications, samarium possesses unique magnetic properties which make it useful in various technological and scientific areas. One of its most notable attributes is its ability to generate an intense magnetic field when combined with cobalt. This property, along with its thermal stability, makes samarium-cobalt magnets ideal for advanced technologies such as MRI scanners, navigation systems, computer hard drives, and audio speakers.
Additionally, samarium can be used as a catalyst in organic synthesis and as a dopant in optical materials such as glass or crystals, enabling them to efficiently absorb specific wavelengths of light. It also finds application in nuclear reactors as a neutron absorber to regulate the reaction rate and prevent excessive neutron buildup.
Overall, samarium is a versatile element that plays a significant role in various technological advancements due to its magnetic and catalytic properties.
A supposed metallic element of unknown properties.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "samarium" derives from the name of the mineral samarskite, from which it was first isolated. Samarskite was named after the Russian mine official Colonel Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets, who discovered the mineral in 1847. Thus, the element samarium was named in honor of Colonel Samarsky-Bykhovets.