californium
Americannoun
noun
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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.
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See Periodic Table
Etymology
Origin of californium
1945–50; named after the University of California where it was discovered; see -ium
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
From copper to californium, we discover how the sober face of the periodic table hides dramatic backstories.
From Nature ● Dec. 9, 2019
It’s also just the second element to be named after a U.S. state, the first being californium.
From Slate ● Jun. 17, 2016
Scientists at the University of California at Berkeley in 1950 announced they had created a new radioactive element, "californium."
From US News ● Mar. 17, 2015
Most of the boron bullets missed, but a few scored a bull's-eye on californium nuclei.
From Time Magazine Archive
They found that the bombardment of californium with boron ions released α particles which had an energy of 8.6 MeV and decayed with a half-life of 8 ± 2 seconds.
From A Brief History of Element Discovery, Synthesis, and Analysis by Glen W. Watson
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