americium: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very lowScientific/Technical
Quick answer
What does “americium” mean?
A synthetic, radioactive chemical element with the symbol Am and atomic number 95.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A synthetic, radioactive chemical element with the symbol Am and atomic number 95.
A transuranic actinide metal, produced artificially in nuclear reactors, commonly used in commercial ionization-type smoke detectors.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage or spelling. The word is spelled identically.
Connotations
Solely scientific and technical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely rare outside nuclear chemistry, physics, and related technical fields in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “americium” in a Sentence
americium + [verb: is, decays, emits]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “americium” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The americium source was carefully shielded.
- Amercium-241 has a long half-life.
American English
- The americium sample was highly active.
- Amercium oxide is used in the detector.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used exclusively in advanced chemistry, nuclear physics, and engineering texts and journals.
Everyday
Not used, except in specific contexts like discussing smoke detector safety.
Technical
The primary domain of use: nuclear technology, radiochemistry, sensor design.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “americium”
Neutral
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “americium”
- Misspelling: 'americanium', 'americum'.
- Incorrect pronunciation stress: /əˈmɛrɪkɪəm/ (stress on 'mer'). Correct stress is on 'ri'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The tiny amount of americium-241 in a smoke detector is safely contained and poses no health risk. In larger, unshielded quantities, it is a significant radiation hazard.
It is not found naturally in any significant quantity. It is produced artificially in nuclear reactors by bombarding plutonium with neutrons.
Its main use is in ionization-type smoke detectors. It also has applications in neutron sources, industrial gauges, and as a target material for synthesizing heavier elements.
It was discovered in 1944 by Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph A. James, Leon O. Morgan, and Albert Ghiorso at the University of California, Berkeley.
A synthetic, radioactive chemical element with the symbol Am and atomic number 95.
Americium is usually scientific/technical in register.
Americium: in British English it is pronounced /ˌaməˈrɪsɪəm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæməˈrɪsiəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
'America' + '-ium' (common suffix for elements like helium, uranium). Think: 'The element named after the Americas.'
Conceptual Metaphor
N/A (Highy technical term with no common metaphorical extensions).
Practice
Quiz
Amercium is primarily classified as: