Americium

Americium, with the chemical symbol Am and atomic number 95, is a fascinating artificially produced element first discovered in 1944 by American scientists Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph A. James, and Leon O. Morgan. Glenn T. Seaborg, an outstanding chemist of American-Swedish descent, played a central role in the discovery of many transuranic elements.

The name "Americium" reflects the element's origin and is dedicated to the continent of America. The discovery took place during the Manhattan Project, a secret research program during World War II that led to the development of atomic weapons. Americium is produced by irradiating plutonium in nuclear reactors. On Earth, Americium is relatively rare and is primarily produced in nuclear reactors or through the decay of plutonium. However, due to its properties, it has diverse applications, including in smoke detectors based on the radioactive decay of Americium-241.

The key Americium isotopes are Americium-241 and Americium-243. Americium-241 has a half-life of about 432 years, while Americium-243 has a half-life of approximately 7,370 years.

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