Actinium
Description
A naturally occurring, radioactive element found in uranium ores. Actinium has a half-life of 21.77 years. Metallic actinium is silvery white and produces a faint blue glow which is visible in the dark. Actinium was first isolated and named in 1899 by André Debierne; in 1902, it was independently discovered by Friedrich Giesel and named emanium. The two elements were reconciled as one in 1904. Actinium is a highly reactive material with a strong basic character that produces water-insoluble salts with most anions. It is very difficult to extract and separate from uranium ores and has limited commercial applications.
Synonyms and Related Terms
Ac; emanium; aktinium (Ces., Sven.); Actinium (Dan., Deut., Fr., Ned., Nor.); actinio (Esp.); attinio (It.); (Ned.); aktyn (Pol.); actínio (Port.)
Other Properties
Reacts with water to produce hydrogen gas.
| Composition | Ac (atomic no. 89) |
|---|---|
| CAS | 7440-34-8 |
| Melting Point | 1050 |
| Density | 10.07 |
| Molecular Weight | atomic wt=227 |
| Boiling Point | about 3300 |
Hazards and Safety
Extremely hazardous. Radioactive bone-seeking poison.
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 649
- Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
- The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983
- The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
- Chemical & Engineering News, American Chemical Society, Washington DC, 81 (36) , Sept. 8, 2003 Comment: "Actinium" by Greg Wall, p. 162