Question

Write the uses of actinides.

Answer 1

Hint: All the actinide elements are heavy because of their large atomic mass. They all are radioactive too and hence they release a large amount of energy on radioactive decay. These properties of actinides are used in various fields.

Complete step by step solution:
-As we know actinides consist of a family of fifteen elements in the periodic table. They are located in period seven of the periodic table. Their atomic number ranges from 89 to 103. It starts from Actinium (Ac) and ends in Lawrencium (Lr). They belong to the F block.
-Uranium was the first actinide that was discovered. While some actinides are man-made some are found in nature itself. Uranium, Thorium, Neptunium, are some examples of actinides that were found in nature. Some of the actinides are synthesized.
-Actinides have extensive applications and their range varies from pacemakers in heart to as an energy source in instruments on the moon. The uses are listed below,
-The isotope of element Americium (95) is used as an ionizing source for smoke detectors.
-Actinium 227 can act as a neutron source. Actinium 228 is used as an indicator of radioactivity in chemical research.
-The most used property of actinides is its radioactivity. The radioactive nuclides of actinides are used in analytical chemistry cancer therapy and basic research in the study of chemical mechanisms and structures.
-The explosive power of uranium and plutonium are well exploited and they are used as nuclear fuels and in weaponry also. They are used in nuclear reactors also. As we mentioned, nuclear reactions of plutonium-239 and uranium-235 are currently utilized in atomic energy power plants to generate electric power.
-Another actinide, Thorium is economically useful for the reason that from thorium-232, fissionable uranium-233 can be produced.
-The isotope Plutonium-238 is used in implants in the human body to power the heart pacemaker.
-The actinides curium and plutonium were used as power sources in the instruments on the Moon to provide electrical energy for transmitting messages to Earth.
-As we can see, the salts of actinides are also used in the glass industry for imparting green colour, in the textile industry and in medicines too.
As we listed above, actinides are a group of elements that has extensive applications in various fields.

Note: Actinides should not get confused with lanthanides. Even though they both belong to the F block, their properties vary. As we are aware, lanthanides are non- radioactive except promethium whereas all actinide elements are radioactive. Also, the compounds formed by actinides are highly basic and compounds formed by lanthanides are less basic.