actinide series

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. the series of radioactive elements that starts with actinium and ends with lawrencium.

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actinide series British  

noun

1. a series of 15 radioactive elements with increasing atomic numbers from actinium to lawrencium

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Etymology

Origin of actinide series

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Many of these elements, such as those in the lanthanide and actinide series, have applications ranging from cancer diagnostics and treatment to renewable energy technologies and long-lived nuclear batteries for deep space exploration.

From Science Daily

The most basic definition of the actinide series, comprised of elements 89 through 103, is that it results from the sequential filling of the 5f electron shell.

From Scientific American