samarium
C2Technical/Scientific
Definition
Meaning
A silvery-white metallic chemical element (symbol Sm, atomic number 62) belonging to the lanthanide series.
A rare earth metal used in permanent magnets, carbon-arc lighting, nuclear reactors, and as a dopant in certain crystals and glasses.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers exclusively to the chemical element. It is a proper noun in chemistry and materials science. No abstract or metaphorical meanings exist in common usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
None in meaning or primary usage. Minor potential differences in compound terminology, e.g., 'samarium-cobalt magnet' vs. 'SmCo magnet'.
Connotations
Neutral scientific term in both variants.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general discourse, identical low/high frequency in technical fields across both variants.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
samarium is used in + [noun phrase]samarium-doped + [material]alloy of + samarium and + [other metal]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in contexts related to the mining, trading, or manufacturing of rare earth metals and high-tech components.
Academic
Common in chemistry, physics, materials science, and engineering research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used except in specific educational or hobbyist contexts (e.g., element collecting).
Technical
The primary register. Used in specifications for magnets, lasers, nuclear control rods, and catalysis.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The samarium-cobalt alloy is highly resistant to demagnetisation.
- A samarium-doped crystal was used in the experiment.
American English
- The samarium-cobalt alloy is highly resistant to demagnetization.
- A samarium-doped crystal was used in the experiment.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Samarium is one of the rare earth elements.
- Some magnets are made with samarium.
- Samarium-cobalt magnets are known for their high magnetic strength and thermal stability.
- The chemist analysed a sample containing samarium and neodymium.
- Despite its name, samarium is more abundant in the Earth's crust than metals like tin.
- The research focused on optimising the catalytic properties of samarium(III) oxide in organic synthesis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Samaria', the ancient region, and 'ium' for metals. Imagine a silvery metal discovered from minerals named after that place.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct cognate: 'самарий' (samariy). Pronunciation and spelling are highly similar, reducing risk of error.
Common Mistakes
- Mispronunciation: /ˈsæməriəm/ (like 'Samaritan').
- Confusion with 'samara' (a type of seed).
- Misspelling as 'samaraum' or 'samarium'.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary technical use of samarium that most people might indirectly encounter?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Metallic samarium is considered to have low to moderate toxicity, but its compounds should be handled with care as dust or fumes can be irritating. Certain samarium isotopes used in nuclear applications are radioactive.
It is named after the mineral samarskite, which in turn was named after Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets, a Russian mining engineer. It was the first chemical element to be named after a person.
Yes, samarium is ferromagnetic at temperatures below 14.8 K (approx. -258°C). Its most significant magnetic property is in its alloy with cobalt (SmCo), which creates some of the strongest permanent magnets known.
No, like other rare earth elements, it is never found in nature as a free metal. It occurs in minerals such as monazite and bastnäsite, from which it must be extracted and purified.