Actinide
Also known as: actinoid · actinide series · actinide elements · actinides
- 1The actinide series includes elements with atomic numbers 89 to 102.
- 2The series is named after the first element, actinium.
- 3It consists of 14 metallic elements in the 5f series.
- 4Lawrencium (atomic number 103) is commonly included in the series.
- 5The symbol An is used as a shorthand for any actinide.
The actinide or actinoid series encompasses at least the 14 metallic chemical elements in the 5f series, with atomic numbers from 89 to 102, actinium through to nobelium.
Connections1
Chemical series
Fermium is a member of the actinide series, sharing characteristic properties with other heavy radioactive elements.
The actinide series consists of a group of metallic chemical elements that occupy the 5f series of the periodic table. The series typically includes 14 elements, ranging from actinium (atomic number 89) to nobelium (atomic number 102). Although lawrencium (atomic number 103) is technically part of the 6d transition series, it is generally included in the actinide group.
Enrico Fermi suggested the existence of transuranium elements in 1934.Wikimedia CommonsGlenn T. Seaborg and his group at the University of California, Berkeley synthesized Pu, Am, Cm, Bk, Cf, Es, Fm, Md, No and element 106, which was later named seaborgium in his honor while he was still living. They also synthesized more than a hundred actinide isotopes.Wikimedia CommonsActinides have 89–103 protons and usually 117–159 neutrons.Wikimedia CommonsTable of nuclides: Buildup of actinides in a nuclear reactor, including radioactive decayWikimedia CommonsUnprocessed uranium oreWikimedia CommonsMonazite: a major thorium mineralWikimedia CommonsSeparation of uranium and plutonium from spent nuclear fuel using the PUREX process [ 76 ]Wikimedia CommonsA pellet of 238 PuO 2 to be used in a radioisotope thermoelectric generator for either the Cassini or Galileo mission. The pellet produces 62 watts of heat and glows because of the heat generated by the radioactive decay (primarily α). Photo is taken after insulating the pellet under a graphite blanket for minutes and...Wikimedia CommonsWikimedia Commons file from Category:Actinides for Actinide.Wikimedia Commons; Public domain; Wikimedia Commons: Category:ActinidesA disc of californium metal ( 249 Cf, 10 mg). The source implies that the disc has a diameter about twice the thickness of a typical pin, or on the order of 1 mm.Wikimedia Commons; United States Department of Energy (see File:Einsteinium.jpg ); "Californium" in (2006) THE CHEMISTRY OF THE ACTINIDE AND TRANSACTINIDE ELEMENTS , III (3 rd ed.), Springer, pp. 1,518 DOI : 10.1007/1-4020-3598-5_11 .; Public domain; Wikimedi...Wikimedia Commons file from Category:Actinides for Actinide.Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 3.0; Wikimedia Commons: Category:Actinides The series is named after its first member, actinium. In scientific literature, the informal chemical symbol An is frequently used to refer to any element within this series during general discussions of their chemistry.