Promethium is element number 61, a metallic solid, and is
technically a lanthanide. It was originally "Prometheum." The history
of promethium is long and complicated. Bohuslav Brauner
accurately predicted its existence in 1902. Then in 1914, Henry Moseley, measured
the atomic numbers of the known elements and proved that there was no element
with an atomic number of 61. Two separate groups in 1926, one Italian and one
American, claimed to have found it, but it was later discovered that neither of
them actually had.
It
was finally in 1945, that the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory was able to synthesize and determine that they had element 61 -
promethium. The name for promethium comes from Greek mythology. The name is
derived from the Titan Prometheus,
who stole fire from the Gods to give to humankind.
Natural
promethium can come from the decay of uranium and europium. All of the isotopes
of promethium are radioactive. The melting point is 1100 C and
the boiling point is 3000 C.
A
few of the uses for promethium are nuclear powered
battery, and as a potential source for portable X-ray.
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