Promethium is a rare, highly radioactive element that does not occur naturally on Earth. It has two allotropic forms and produces radioactive isotopes. It was discovered in 1947 and is used in various industries. It is dangerous and requires proper handling due to its radioactivity.
Promethium is an extremely radioactive chemical element classified among the rare earth metals in the periodic table. The element does not appear to appear naturally on earth, although it has been successfully created through artificial means. Promethium is also observed in the spectra of some stars, probably due to the nuclear reactions that take place in the stars. Average consumers rarely interact with promethium, given its extreme rarity and highly specialized applications.
The appearance of promethium is a topic of discussion, since pure natural promethium has not been identified. It appears to have two allotropic forms, meaning that the structure of the element can vary in at least two ways when it is purified. Besides being radioactive itself, promethium also produces a number of radioactive isotopes, some of which are very useful in various industries. On the periodic table of elements, promethium is found under the symbol Pm, and has atomic number 61, which places it among the stable elements, which is rather unusual; most radioactive elements are grouped with other radioactive elements.
The existence of promethium was hypothesized as early as 1902, when chemists realized that there was an element missing between elements 60 and 62. Several attempts were made to isolate the missing element 61, but the credit for the discovery of promethium usually goes to JA Marinsky, LE Glendenin and CD Coryell, who announced their discovery in 1947. The men were doing research on the fission of uranium and the neutron bombardment of neodymium at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, and during the their work found the new element at last.
The inspiration for the element’s name came from Coryell’s wife, who said that discovering the element was like stealing fire from the gods. In Greek mythology, Prometheus did just that, so men named the element for him. Promethium isotopes are often used as radioactive tracers, and the element is also used to make indicators, various luminescent products, and in the phosphorus industry.
Because promethium is radioactive, it is extremely dangerous and should be handled with care. The element emits beta rays, which can create X-rays when interacting with heavier elements, endangering people who work with promethium. Access to promethium is typically tightly controlled due to the radioactivity, and most people who work with it receive proper safety training or work in facilities that already have radiation protection protocols in place, such as nuclear power plants.
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