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Actinides are a group of metallic elements located in the bottom row of the periodic table, below the lanthanides. This group consists of 15 elements, including actinium, thorium, uranium, and plutonium, among others. The actinides are often categorized into two groups: the “early” actinides (actinium through plutonium) and the “late” actinides (americium through lawrencium). These elements are also referred to as “actinoids” due to their position in the actinide series. Actinides are known for their unique physical and chemical properties, as well as their important role in various fields of science and technology.
The discovery of the actinides can be traced back to the late 18th century, with the discovery of uranium by German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789. The subsequent discoveries of other elements in this group, such as thorium and actinium, led to the naming of the group as the “actinide” series. The naming of the actinides is derived from the Greek word “aktis,” which means “ray,” due to the radioactive nature of these elements.
Actinides exhibit a range of unique physical and chemical properties, including high melting and boiling points, high density, and radioactive decay. They are also known for their complex electronic structures and their ability to form various oxidation states. Due to these unique properties, actinides have important applications in a variety of fields, including nuclear energy, medicine, and environmental science.
Although actinides are naturally occurring in the Earth’s crust, they are relatively rare and often difficult to extract due to their low concentrations. The half-lives of actinides vary widely, with some like uranium and plutonium having relatively long half-lives, and others like nobelium and lawrencium being highly unstable with short half-lives. Despite these challenges, the study of actinides is crucial for gaining a deeper understanding of radioactive materials and their impact on the environment and human health.
On periodic table
| group | ⇨ | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| period | ⇩ | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 H  Hydrogen |
2 He  Helium |
|||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 3 Li  Lithium |
4 Be  Beryllium |
5 B  Boron |
6 C  Carbon |
7 N  Nitrogen |
8 O  Oxygen |
9 F  Fluorine |
10 Ne  Neon |
|||||||||||
| 3 | 11 Na  Sodium |
12 Mg  Magnesium |
13 Al  Aluminium |
14 Si  Silicon |
15 P  Phosphorus |
16 S  Sulfur |
17 Cl  Chlorine |
18 Ar  Argon |
|||||||||||
| 4 | 19 K  Potassium |
20 Ca  Calcium |
21 Sc  Scandium |
22 Ti  Titanium |
23 V  Vanadium |
24 Cr  Chromium |
25 Mn  Manganese |
26 Fe  Iron |
27 Co  Cobalt |
28 Ni  Nickel |
29 Cu  Copper |
30 Zn  Zinc |
31 Ga  Gallium |
32 Ge  Germanium |
33 As  Arsenic |
34 Se  Selenium |
35 Br  Bromine |
36 Kr  Krypton |
|
| 5 | 37 Rb  Rubidium |
38 Sr  Strontium |
39 Y  Yttrium |
40 Zr  Zirconium |
41 Nb  Niobium |
42 Mo  Molybdenum |
43 Tc  Technetium |
44 Ru  Ruthenium |
45 Rh  Rhodium |
46 Pd  Palladium |
47 Ag  Silver |
48 Cd  Cadmium |
49 In  Indium |
50 Sn  Tin |
51 Sb  Antimony |
52 Te  Tellurium |
53 I  Iodine |
54 Xe  Xenon |
|
| 6 | 55 Cs  Caesium |
56 Ba  Barium |
72 Hf  Hafnium |
73 Ta  Tantalum |
74 W  Tungsten |
75 Re  Rhenium |
76 Os  Osmium |
77 Ir  Iridium |
78 Pt  Platinum |
79 Au  Gold |
80 Hg  Mercury |
81 Tl  Thallium |
82 Pb  Lead |
83 Bi  Bismuth |
84 Po  Polonium |
85 At  Astatine |
86 Rn  Radon |
||
| 7 | 87 Fr  Francium |
88 Ra  Radium |
104 Rf  Rutherfordium |
105 Db  Dubnium |
106 Sg  Seaborgium |
107 Bh  Bohrium |
108 Hs  Hassium |
109 Mt  Meitnerium |
110 Ds  Darmstadtium |
111 Rg  Roentgenium |
112 Cn  Copernicium |
113 Nh  Nihonium |
114 Fl  Flerovium |
115 Mc  Moscovium |
116 Lv  Livermorium |
117 Ts  Tennessine |
118 Og  Oganesson |
||
| 57 La  Lanthanum |
58 Ce  Cerium |
59 Pr  Praseodymium |
60 Nd  Neodymium |
61 Pm  Promethium |
62 Sm  Samarium |
63 Eu  Europium |
64 Gd  Gadolinium |
65 Tb  Terbium |
66 Dy  Dysprosium |
67 Ho  Holmium |
68 Er  Erbium |
69 Tm  Thulium |
70 Yb  Ytterbium |
71 Lu  Lutetium |
|||||
| 89 Ac  Actinium |
90 Th  Thorium |
91 Pa  Protactinium |
92 U  Uranium |
93 Np  Neptunium |
94 Pu  Plutonium |
95 Am  Americium |
96 Cm  Curium |
97 Bk  Berkelium |
98 Cf  Californium |
99 Es  Einsteinium |
100 Fm  Fermium |
101 Md  Mendelevium |
102 No  Nobelium |
103 Lr  Lawrencium |
|||||
| – actinide |
Actinides are a group of 15 chemical elements located in the f-block of the periodic table, which includes actinium, thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium, curium, berkelium, californium, einsteinium, fermium, mendelevium, nobelium, and lawrencium.
History
Uranium and thorium were the first actinides discovered, with uranium being identified by German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789 and thorium by Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1829. The discovery of actinides continued in 1899 when French chemist André-Louis Debierne identified a new radioactive substance, which he named actinium. However, it wasn’t until 1913 that British radiochemist Frederick Soddy and his colleague John Cranston recognized the existence of a whole new series of radioactive elements beyond actinium. They named this series the “actinide” series, and its discovery was a significant breakthrough in the field of nuclear chemistry.
In the following years, several other researchers, including Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner, and Glenn T. Seaborg, contributed to the discovery and characterization of actinide elements. Seaborg, in particular, made many important contributions, including the discovery of several new actinide elements, such as plutonium, americium, curium, and berkelium. For his work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1951.
The actinides were originally named after the first element in the series, actinium, but as more elements were discovered, a new naming convention was introduced. The actinides from atomic numbers 89 to 103 are named after the first four elements in the series (actinium, thorium, protactinium, and uranium), while the remaining elements are named after scientists who made significant contributions to the study of nuclear physics and chemistry.
The study of actinides has had significant implications in both fundamental and applied research. In fundamental research, actinides have been used to study the behavior of heavy elements and the structure of atomic nuclei. In applied research, actinides have been used in a variety of fields, including nuclear power generation, nuclear medicine, and national defense.
Occurrence and production
The actinides occur naturally in nature, but only in small amounts. Uranium and thorium are the most abundant actinides in the Earth’s crust, with uranium having a concentration of 2.7 parts per million (ppm) and thorium having a concentration of around 6 ppm. Other actinides, such as neptunium, plutonium, americium, and curium, are produced through nuclear reactions and decay processes. These elements are not present in significant quantities in the Earth’s crust and are instead artificially produced in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators.
The primary source of natural uranium is the mineral pitchblende, which contains about 50% uranium by weight. Uranium can also be extracted from other minerals such as uraninite, coffinite, and carnotite. Thorium, on the other hand, is primarily found in the mineral monazite, which is a rare-earth phosphate. Monazite typically contains between 3% and 12% thorium by weight, making it the most important source of thorium.
The production of actinides, especially transuranium elements, is a complex process involving nuclear reactions and isotopic separation. The production of plutonium, for example, involves the neutron irradiation of uranium-238 in a nuclear reactor. The resulting uranium-239 decays into neptunium-239, which then decays into plutonium-239. Plutonium-239 can also be produced by bombarding uranium-238 with high-energy neutrons in a particle accelerator.
The production of transuranium elements such as americium and curium requires the use of a nuclear reactor or particle accelerator. These elements are produced by bombarding heavy nuclei such as uranium or plutonium with high-energy neutrons. The resulting nucleus then undergoes a series of beta decays to form the desired transuranium element.
Properties
Physical properties
Actinides are dense metals with high melting and boiling points.
They are malleable and ductile and have a metallic luster.
Some actinides, such as uranium, are radioactive and emit alpha, beta, and gamma radiation.
Chemical properties
Actinides are highly reactive, and like lanthanides, they also react with halogens and chalcogens.
They have variable oxidation states, which can range from +2 to +7.
Actinides are known to form complexes with ligands, which are molecules or ions that donate electrons to the metal ion.
Nuclear properties
All actinides are radioactive and have unstable nuclei.
Actinides can undergo nuclear fission, which is the splitting of an atomic nucleus into two smaller nuclei.
Actinides can also undergo nuclear fusion, which is the combining of two atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus.
Magnetic properties
Only neptunium among the actinides exhibits magnetic behavior. Curium, in particular, possesses unique magnetic properties that make it an intriguing element for further study.
Actinides can be either paramagnetic, diamagnetic, or ferromagnetic depending on their electronic configuration.
Electronic properties
Actinides have a unique electronic structure due to their partially filled 5f orbitals.
The 5f orbitals are shielded from the outer electrons, which leads to unusual electronic properties in actinides.
Actinides can exhibit unusual electrical conductivity and magnetic properties due to their electronic structure.
Optical properties
Actinide uranium exhibits green fluorescence under UV light and has found use in uranium glass as a decorative material.
Thorium has historically been used in optical coatings due to its high refractive index and low dispersion. However, due to its radioactivity and associated health risks, its use in such applications has declined.
Applications
Nuclear fuel
Actinides such as uranium and plutonium are used as nuclear fuel in power plants and nuclear weapons. Uranium is the most commonly used fuel in nuclear power plants, while plutonium is used in both power plants and weapons.
Medical applications
Actinide isotopes such as americium-241 and californium-252 have been used for brachytherapy, a type of radiation therapy that involves placing radioactive sources directly into or near the tumor.
Industrial applications
Actinides find a variety of industrial applications. For example, americium is used in smoke detectors, while plutonium-238 is used in nuclear batteries, also known as RTGs, which generate electricity from the heat produced by radioactive decay. Additionally, thorium is utilized as a catalyst in chemical reactions.
Research and development
Actinides are used extensively in scientific research and development. They are used to study the fundamental properties of matter, the behavior of materials at high temperatures and pressures, and the chemistry of materials.
Neutron sources
Actinides are used as neutron sources in scientific research and industrial applications. For example, americium-241 is used as a neutron source in oil well logging.
Forensic analysis
Actinides are used in forensic analysis to detect and identify trace amounts of radioactive materials in soil, water, and other substances.
Environmental monitoring
Actinides are used to monitor environmental radioactivity and to determine the levels of radioactivity in air, water, and soil.
Space exploration
Actinides are used in space exploration to power satellites and other spacecraft. For example, plutonium-238 is used as a power source for the Mars rover.
Weapons production
Actinides such as plutonium-239 and uranium-235 are used in the production of nuclear weapons.
Interesting facts
Actinides are the 15 metallic elements that span from actinium (89) to lawrencium (103) on the periodic table.
The discovery of actinides began with uranium and thorium, which were the first elements of this series to be identified by Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789 and Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1829, respectively.
The name “actinide” comes from the first element in the series, actinium, which was discovered in 1899.
Actinide elements are all radioactive, with varying half-lives ranging from seconds to billions of years, such as uranium-238 (4.7 billion years), plutonium-239 (24,100 years), and thorium-232 (14 billion years).
The actinides are classified into two groups: early and late. The early actinides include actinium, thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, and plutonium, while the late actinides include americium and beyond, up to lawrencium.
Americium-241 is used in smoke detectors to ionize air particles and detect smoke.
Plutonium-239 has been used as a fuel for nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons.
Uranium-235 is used as fuel in nuclear power plants.
Plutonium-240, which is a byproduct of nuclear reactors, is used in nuclear weapons.
Actinide elements are used in medical applications, such as radiation therapy for cancer treatment.
Many actinide elements have important industrial applications, such as in the production of nuclear fuels, alloys, and catalysts.
The transuranic elements, which are elements with atomic numbers greater than 92 (uranium), are all actinides.
The Manhattan Project, which produced the first atomic bomb during World War â…¡, involved the production and study of many actinide elements.
The chemical and physical properties of the actinides make them important in the field of nuclear chemistry and nuclear physics.
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Related
More topics
- Block (periodic table)
- Group (periodic table)
- Period (periodic table)
- Metal
- Alkali metal
- Alkaline earth metal
- Lanthanide
- Actinide
- Transition metal
- Post-transition metal
- Metalloid
- Nonmetal
- Reactive nonmetal
- Noble gas
External links
- Actinide – Wikipedia
- Properties and Reactions of the Actinide Series of Elements – ThoughtCo
- General Properties and Reactions of The Actinides – Chemistry LibreTexts
- Actinides | Definition, Properties & Characteristics – Study.com
- Lanthanides and Actinides – CK-12
- Chemistry for Kids: Elements – Lanthanides and Actinides – Ducksters
- Actinoid element | Chemical Properties & Uses – Britannica
- Actinides – The Parts of the Periodic Table – Angelo State University
- Actinide Series – Encyclopedia.com
- Actinide Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster
- Lanthanides and Actinides — Overview & Properties – Expii
- High School Chemistry/Lanthanides and Actinides – Wikibooks
- All Lanthanides and actinides articles – Chemistry World
- Actinides on the Periodic Table – ChemTalk
- Actinide – an overview – ScienceDirect
- periodic table – Actinides and Lanthanides group – Chemistry Stack Exchange
- Elements & Periodic Table: Actinide Series – Chem4Kids
- Actinides on the Periodic Table (Actinide Series or Actinoids) – Science Notes and Projects
- The Periodic Table and the Actinides – De Gruyter Conversations
- Chemists explore the periodic table’s actinide frontier – C&EN
- Actinide Definition & Meaning – Dictionary.com
- Actinide – Chem Europe
- Actinides – Chemistry Learner
- What are the actinides on the periodic table? – Quora
- Actinide – Elements Wiki | Fandom
- The Periodic Table: Everyday Uses of Actinides – Revolutionized
- Actinides and Lanthanides – Uranium – Diamond Light Source
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