My Element Web Page

Promethium: it can cause death. Artificially created, it's radioactive.

History	Where it is Found	Uses
Radioactivity	General Information	Table

History

The first scientist to predict the existence of element 61 was John Casper Branner, an American geologist who was the president of Stanford. in 1902. The conformation of element 61 was in 1914 when Wilbur C. Moosley Jr. and the scientists at Ohio State. But the proof that Promethium (element 61) was found until 1942, when scientists put split Uranium atoms and shot many neutrons at an atom of neodymium

Where it is found

Promethium is not found naturally in the Earth’s Atmosphere. However, Promethium can be artificially created in particle accelerators. It is known to exist in the galaxy of Andromeda.

Uses

Promethium has a variety of uses, most of which deal with it’s radioactive properties. One of it’s most common uses is testing the thickness of sheet metal by placing a few drops of promethium on top of the sheet and placing a sensor below the sheet. The sensor the reads how many radioactive material can make it through the material. Promethium can also be used as a dependable light source when mixed with some phosphorous compounds. Promethium can be used as a power source in batteries. Promethium has potential to be used as portable x-ray system in the future.

Radioactivity
Promethium is a very radioactive element. One of it’s isotopes is an isotope that occurs during the radioactive process of uranium. One of Promethium’s most common compounds is a salt that glows blue with radiation. The Radioactive properties of Promethium is what make it most useful.

General Information

Promethium is element #61 on the periodic table, meaning it has 61 protons and electrons. It has 84 nuetrons, meaning Promethium has the atomic weight of 145 amu. Promethium is a silver/white metal with a boiling point of 1160 degrees C. Although Promethium is in the lanthanide group on the table, it is actually a rare Earth Metal, even though it does not exist in our atmosphere. It was artificially created and is named after the Greek God Prometheus.

Table

Promethium’s Isotopes

Mass	Half Life	Decay Method
128	1 second	Electron capture and alpha decay
131	4 seconds	Electron capture
133	15 seconds	Electron capture
136	47 seconds	Electron capture
139	4.15 minutes	Electron capture
141	40.9 minutes	Electron capture
145	17.7 years	Electron capture and alpha decay.
149	50.08 hours	Beta-minus decay
159	2 seconds	Beta- minus decay
163	.3 seconds	Beta-minus decay

I choose to link my website to Uranium because when Uranium decays radioactively, one isotope is Promethium.

Glossary

1. Radioactive: A substance that constantly gives off a series of radio particles.
2. Isotope: A chemical element with the same atomic number but a different number of neutrons.
3. Half Life: The time it takes for half of a radioactive material to decay.
4. Particle Accelerator: A large tube like structure where atomic particles are shot at each other at high speed.
5.Lanthanide: A group of elements second to bottom on the periodic table.
6. Compound: Two or more elements chemically combined.

Bibliography

1. Frank, David. Et Al. Physical Science. Boston, MA. Pearson Educaion Inc. 2008
2.Newton, David E. Chemical Elements. Farmington Hills, MI. The Gale Group. 1999
3.Stertka, Alberta. A Guide to the Elements. New York, New York. Oxford University Press, 1998
4.Thompson, Larry C. “Promethium” World Book Encyclopedia. 2007
5.University of California. “Promethium” Los Alamos National Lab February 9, 2009
http://periodic.lanl.gov/elements/61.html
6. Brbalace, Kenneth L. “Element Promethium” Environmental chemistry.com February 9, 2009
http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/periodic/Pm.html

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