curium (Cm)

A synthetic, radioactive, metallic element of the actinide series. It was first made in 1944 by Glenn Seaborg and his colleagues by the alpha particle bombardment of plutonium-239 in a cyclotron and is named after Marie and Pierre Curie. It can also be produced by bombarding americium-241 with neutrons. Silvery in color, curium is chemically reactive, intensely radioactive, and is toxic if absorbed by the body. The isotope ²⁴⁴Cm is used is to provide a compact power source for orbiting satellites, the heat of nuclear decay being converted to electricity. Its most stable isotope is ²⁴⁷Cm (half-life 1.6 × 10⁷ yr).

atomic number	96
relative density	13.51 (calculated)
melting point	1,340°C (2,444°F)

Related category

• INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

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