Americium

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/americium

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the atomic number?95
2. What is the primary production method?Neutron bombardment of uranium or plutonium in nuclear reactors
3. Why do smoke detectors have Americium?A tiny bit of Americium-241 sits inside the detector. It releases alpha particles that keep a steady electrical current. When smoke stops the current, the alarm sounds.
4. How is Americium produced?Nuclear reactors bombard uranium or plutonium with neutrons, turning some of the atoms into Americium. About 100 grams of Americium can be found in each tonne of spent nuclear fuel.

Actinide Series: A group of radioactive elements in the periodic table, starting with actinium.
Transuranic Element: Elements with atomic numbers greater than 92 (uranium), artificially produced.
Metamictization: Structural damage in crystalline solids caused by internal radiation.