actinium neutrons are the most powerful type of radioactive nuclei, and their release from uranium ore is one of the most important sources of energy that can be produced by a nuclear chain reaction. They are released when a heavy nuclide decays, usually in the form of a beta decay.
The word ‘actinium’ comes from the Greek aktis, meaning beam or ray. This is a name given to a group of 15 elements, the actinide series, that have similar properties in chemical behavior and valence.
Atomic number: (89) atomic weight: 227 Symbol: Ac
In the periodic table, actinium is in period 7 because it has 7 electron shells. The atomic number indicates the number of protons in an element’s nucleus, and the atomic weight gives its atomic volume.
Nuclear cross-sections: The atomic mass and the nuclear cross-section are determined by the number of protons in the nucleus, and the number of neutrons in the nucleus. Generally, nuclei with an even number of protons and neutrons are very stable due to the occurrence of ‘paired spin’.
Natural isotopes: Isotopes of an element differ from each other in their atomic mass, but not their nuclear cross-section. Isotopes may be found naturally in the Earth’s crust or in traces in ores.
Isotopes that are produced artificially in the laboratory are called ‘radioactive isotopes’, or simply ‘isotopes.’ Some of these radioactive isotopes are used in medical treatments for cancer and other diseases.
Radiation is a health hazard, and it can cause damage to the genetic make-up of human beings. It can also lead to disease and death in animals. It is a known factor in the development of bone cancer and other disorders, especially when the radiation is taken into the body from a source that has a high gamma-ray activity.