Element 99 in our International Year of the Periodic Table series is einsteinium. Einsteinium was almost the first element to be named after a living person and has been used to synthesis other, heavier elements.
It’s that time of the year again – here’s another chemistry advent countdown, this year with an #IYPT2019 theme! Over the next 24 days, there’ll be a new periodic table every day, highlighting a variety of interesting facts or curiosities relating to the elements.
Element 98 in our International Year of the Periodic Table series is californium. Californium is used to help start up nuclear reactors, in oil wells, and is also used to detect corrosion in aircraft parts.
Element 97 in our International Year of the Periodic Table series is berkelium. Berkelium is short on applications but is used as a target in the production of even heavier elements.
Element 96 in our International Year of the Periodic Table series is curium. Curium’s radioactivity limits its uses – but also enables its use as a source of alpha particles in space probe spectrometers.
Element 95 in our International Year of the Periodic Table series is americium. Americium is used in home smoke detectors and could also be used as an alternative to plutonium in space probes in the future.