🔹 Basic Information

• Element Name: Americium
• Discovered By: Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph A. James, Leon O. Morgan
• Year of Discovery: 1944
• Category: Actinide Series / Radioactive Metal
• Group: Actinides (no formal group number)
• State at Room Temperature: Solid 🧊

Americium is a synthetic, radioactive metal created during nuclear reactions in labs. It does not occur naturally in significant amounts.

🔸 Chemical Properties

• Chemical Symbol: Am
• Atomic Number: 95
• Atomic Mass: ~243 u
• Valency: +3, +4, +6
• Electronic Configuration: [Rn] 5f⁷ 7s²

Americium is chemically similar to other actinides and lanthanides, often forming +3 oxidation state compounds.

📘 Basic Things to Know

Americium is named after America, following the tradition of naming elements after continents and places. It was first isolated from plutonium produced in nuclear reactors.

🤔 Interesting Facts

• Widely known for its use in smoke detectors 🏠🚨
• The isotope Americium-241 emits alpha particles and gamma rays, useful in radiation sources
• It’s a man-made element, part of the actinide series of radioactive metals
• Its long half-life (~432 years) makes it stable enough for practical uses
• Americium compounds glow under ultraviolet light — a cool property used in some experiments! ✨

🔧 Common Uses

✔️ Smoke Detectors:
Americium-241 ionizes air inside detectors to help sense smoke particles quickly and safely

✔️ Industrial Gauges:
Used in devices that measure thickness, density, and moisture in materials

✔️ Research:
Studied in nuclear chemistry and radiological science to understand actinide behavior

📚 Conclusion

Americium is a man-made radioactive element with important everyday uses like smoke detection, helping keep homes safe. It’s a great example of how nuclear science touches our daily lives beyond just big reactors and labs! 🏠🔬