actinium [Ac]

Introduction

From the Greek aktinos or aktis meaning ray or beam. Discovered twice independently, 1st in 1899 by French scientist Andre Debierne, then in 1902 by German Friedrich Otto Giesel (Fritz Giesel)

Occurrence

• rare in nature
• found in association with uranium minerals
  • esp in pitchblende
• world-wide annual production of antinium is < 1 gram

Characteristics

• silvery-white solid metal
• highly radioactive
  • so radioactive, it glows in the dark
  • 150 times as radioactive as radium
  • produces neutrons
• trivalent metallic element
• resembles lanthanum in chemical properties
• reacts with water to give off hydrogen gas
• not toxic

Uses

limited commercial use

More general terms

• actinide
• radioactive element

More specific terms

• actinium-227

Additional terms

• periodic table

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=23965
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=105152
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=105063
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=23946
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=167045
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=182609
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=167378