Protactinium: meaning, definitions and examples
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protactinium
[ proʊˈtæktɪnɪəm ]
chemical element
Protactinium is a chemical element with the symbol Pa and atomic number 91. It is a dense, silvery-gray metallic element that is part of the actinide series. Protactinium is radioactive and is known for its use in nuclear energy applications and research. It has a long half-life, which allows it to be found naturally in trace amounts in uranium ores. Due to its limited availability and radioactivity, protactinium is not widely used in everyday applications.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The scientist studied the properties of protactinium.
- Utilization of protactinium in nuclear reactors requires careful handling.
- Protactinium can be extracted from certain uranium ores.
- Research on protactinium is crucial for advancements in nuclear technology.
Translations
Translations of the word "protactinium" in other languages:
🇵🇹 protactínio
🇮🇳 प्रोटैक्टिनियम
🇩🇪 Protactinium
🇮🇩 protaktinium
🇺🇦 протактиній
🇵🇱 protaktyn
🇯🇵 プロタクチニウム
🇫🇷 protactinium
🇪🇸 protactinio
🇹🇷 protaktynyum
🇰🇷 프로탁티늄
🇸🇦 بروتكتينيوم
🇨🇿 protaktinium
🇸🇰 protaktinium
🇨🇳 锕
🇸🇮 protaktinij
🇮🇸 prótaktín
🇰🇿 протактиниум
🇬🇪 პროტაქტინიუმი
🇦🇿 protaktiyum
🇲🇽 protactinio
Etymology
The name 'protactinium' is derived from the Greek word 'protos', meaning 'first', and 'actinium', reflecting its position as the first element in the actinide series that was discovered after actinium. Protactinium was discovered in 1913 by the German chemist Otto Hahn and his colleague, Lise Meitner, who isolated it from uranium and identified its properties. Initially, it was known as 'emanation 91' before officially adopting its current name in 1949. The element has been the subject of research primarily for its potential applications in nuclear energy and its behavior in neutron reactions, given its unique position within the actinide series. Due to its radioactivity, protactinium presents both challenges and opportunities for scientific exploration.