Quick Facts
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Cm |
| Atomic Number | 96 |
| Atomic Mass | [247] u |
| Category | Actinide |
| Period | 7 |
| Group | 3 |
| Block | f |
| Electron Configuration | [Rn] 5f⁷ 6d¹ 7s² |
History and Discovery
Discovered by: Glenn Seaborg, Ralph James, and Albert Ghiorso Year of Discovery: 1944 Location: Berkeley, California, USA
Etymology
Named after Marie and Pierre Curie, pioneers of radioactivity research.
Applications and Uses
- RTGs for space missions
- Mars rovers (Cm-244 in alpha particle X-ray spectrometers)
- Research on superheavy elements
Interesting Facts
- Named after Marie and Pierre Curie
- Parallels gadolinium (named after Johan Gadolin)
- Used in Mars Curiosity rover's instruments
- Glows in the dark due to intense radioactivity
- One of the most radioactive elements