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Periodic Table of Elements

Element Americium - Am

Comprehensive data on the chemical element Americium is provided on this page; including scores of properties, element names in many languages, most known nuclides of Americium. Common chemical compounds are also provided for many elements. In addition technical terms are linked to their definitions and the menu contains links to related articles that are a great aid in one's studies.

Americium Menu

• Americium Page One
  • Overview of Americium
  • Americium's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Americium
  • Chemical Properties of Americium
  • Physical Properties of Americium
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Americium Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides

Overview of Americium

• Atomic Number: 95
• Period: 7
• Series: Actinides

Americium's Name in Other Languages

• Latin: Americium
• Czech: Americium
• Croatian: Americij
• French: Américium
• German: Amerizium - s
• Italian: Americio
• Norwegian: Americium
• Portuguese: Amerício
• Russian: Америций
• Spanish: Amerício
• Swedish: Americium

Atomic Structure of Americium

• Atomic Radius:
• Atomic Volume: 17.86cm³/mol
• Covalent Radius:
• Cross Section (Thermal Neutron Capture)σ_a/barns: 75.3
• Crystal Structure: Hexagonal

  

• Electron Configuration:

  1s² 2s²p⁶ 3s²p⁶d¹⁰ 4s²p⁶d¹⁰f¹⁴ 5s²p⁶d¹⁰f⁷ 6s²p⁶ 7s²

• Electrons per Energy Level: 2,8,18,32,25,8,2

  Shell Model
  

• Ionic Radius: 0.982Å
• Filling Orbital: 5f⁷
• Number of Electrons (with no charge): 95
• Number of Neutrons (most common/stable nuclide): 148
• Number of Protons: 95
• Oxidation States: 6,5,4,3
• Valence Electrons: 5f⁷ 7s²

Chemical Properties of Americium

• Electrochemical Equivalent: 3.0229g/amp-hr
• Electron Work Function:
• Electronegativity: 1.3 (Pauling); 1.2 (Allrod Rochow)
• Heat of Fusion: 14.4kJ/mol
• Incompatibilities:

• Ionization Potential
  • First: 5.993
• Valence Electron Potential (-eV): 44

Physical Properties of Americium

• Atomic Mass Average: 243.0614
• Boiling Point: 2880K 2607°C 4725°F
• Coefficient of lineal thermal expansion/K^-1: N/A
• Conductivity

  Electrical: 0.022 10⁶/cm Ω
  Thermal: 0.1 W/cmK

• Density: 13.67g/cc @ 300K
• Description:

  Artificially created radioactive metal.

• Enthalpy of Atomization: 268 kJ/mole @ 25°C
• Enthalpy of Fusion: 14.39 kJ/mole
• Flammablity Class:
• Freezing Point: see melting point
• Heat of Vaporization: kJ/mol
• Melting Point: 1267K 994°C 1821°F
• Molar Volume: 17.78 cm³/mole
• Physical State (at 20°C & 1atm): Solid
• Specific Heat: 0.11J/gK

Regulatory / Health

• CAS Number
  • 7440-35-9
• NFPA 704
  • Health:
  • Fire:
  • Reactivity:
  • Special Hazard: Radioactive<
  • OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
    • No limits set by OSHA
  • OSHA PEL Vacated 1989
    • No limits set by OSHA
  • NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL)
    • No limits set by NIOSH
  • Levels In Humans:
    Note: this data represents naturally occuring levels of elements in the typical human, it DOES NOT represent recommended daily allowances.
    • Blood/mg dm^-3: nil
    • Bone/p.p.m: nil
    • Liver/p.p.m: nil
    • Muscle/p.p.m: nil
    • Daily Dietary Intake: nil
    • Total Mass In Avg. 70kg human: nil

  Who / Where / When / How

  • Discoverer: Glen T. Seaborg, R. A. James, L. O. Morgan, A. Ghiorso
  • Discovery Location: Chicago Illinois United States
  • Discovery Year: 1944
  • Name Origin:

    From America by analogy with europium.

  • Abundance of Americium:
    • Earth's Crust/p.p.m.: N/A
    • Seawater/p.p.m.: nil
    • Atmosphere/p.p.m.: N/A
    • Sun (Relative to H=1E¹²): N/A
  • Sources of Americium:

    Produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons. Total world production is probably around a few kilograms per year.

  • Uses of Americium:

    In the past Americium was used as a source of radiation for radiography.

  • Additional Notes:

    Americium is normally never encountered out side of the lab. It is extremely dangerous because of its intense alpha radiation.

  Americium Menu

  • Americium Page One
    • Overview of Americium
    • Americium's Name in Other Languages
    • Atomic Structure of Americium
    • Chemical Properties of Americium
    • Physical Properties of Americium
    • Regulatory / Health
    • Who/When/Where/How
  • Americium Page Two
    • Nuclides / Isotopes
    • Potential Parent Nuclides

  References

  A list of reference sources used to compile the data provided on our periodic table of elements can be found on the main periodic table page.

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