californium

American  

[kal-uh-fawr-nee-uhm] / ˌkæl əˈfɔr ni əm /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a transuranic element. Cf; 98.

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californium British  

/ ˌkælɪˈfɔːnɪəm /

noun

1. a metallic transuranic element artificially produced from curium. Symbol: Cf; atomic no: 98; half-life of most stable isotope, ²⁵¹ Cf: 800 years (approx.)

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californium Scientific  

/ kăl′ə-fôr′nē-əm /

1. A synthetic, radioactive metallic element of the actinide series that is produced from curium or berkelium and is used in chemical analyses. Its most stable isotope, Cf 251, has a half-life of 800 years. Atomic number 98.

2. See Periodic Table

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Etymology

Origin of californium

1945–50; named after the University of California where it was discovered; see -ium

Example Sentences

A gram of Californium, a radioactive synthetic element discovered at UC Berkeley 108 years after Lopez yanked his gold out of the ground, would bring $27 million.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2025