promethium

[pruh-mee-thee-uhm]

noun

Chemistry.

1. a rare-earth, metallic, trivalent element. Pm; 61.

promethium

/ prəˈmiːθɪəm /

noun

1. a radioactive element of the lanthanide series artificially produced by the fission of uranium. Symbol: Pm; atomic no: 61; half-life of most stable isotope, ¹⁴⁵ Pm: 17.7 years; valency: 3; melting pt: 1042°C; boiling pt: 2460°C (approx.)

promethium

1. A radioactive metallic element of the lanthanide series. Promethium does not occur in nature but is prepared through the fission of uranium. It has 17 isotopes, one of which is used to make long-lived miniature batteries that work at extreme temperatures for up to five years. The longest-lived isotope, Pm 147, has a half-life of 2.5 years and is used as a source of beta rays. Atomic number 61; melting point 1,168°C; boiling point 2,460°C; valence 3.

2. See Periodic Table

Word History and Origins

Origin of promethium¹

From New Latin, dating back to 1945–50; Prometheus, -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of promethium¹

C20: New Latin from _Prometheus

Example Sentences

Using a research reactor, hot cells and supercomputers, as well as the accumulated knowledge and skills of 18 scientists in different fields, the authors detailed the first observation of a promethium complex in solution.

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The 17 elements are: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium.

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Experimenting with elements created by the Manhattan Project, researchers realized that they could create two different versions, or isotopes, of promethium, the sixty-first atom on the periodic table.

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They include elements like gadolinium, lanthanum, cerium and promethium, and are vital in the production of cancer treatment drugs, smartphones and renewable energy technologies.

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Rare earth metals are a group of 17 elements - lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium - that appear in low concentrations in the ground.

Read more on Reuters