Symbol
Bk
  
Am
  
Group Number
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Period Number
7
  
7
  
Block
f block
  
f block
  
Element Family
Actinide
  
Actinide
  
Space Group Name
P63/mmc
  
P63/mmc
  
Interesting Facts
- X-ray Diffraction- different compounds of Berkelium metals are identified using it.
Commercial uses of Berkelium metal are not yet discovered.
  
- Americium metal is produced by bombarding Plutonium with Neutrons.
- Americium metal was discovered as a by-product while testing an atomic bomb (Manhattan Project).
  
Sources
Bombarding Americium with Alpha Particles.
  
Obtained By Bombarding Plutonium with Neutrons
  
History
  
  
Who Discovered
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  
Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph A. James, Leon O. Morgan, Albert Ghiorso
  
Discovery
In 1949
  
In 1944
  
Abundance
  
  
Uses & Benefits
- This metal is very rare and has no commercial uses.
  
- Americium metal is used in smoke detection alarms.
-
In the future, this metal has a potential to be used in batteries of spacecrafts.
  
Industrial Uses
NA
  
NA
  
Medical Uses
NA
  
NA
  
Other Uses
NA
  
Alloys, Nuclear Research, Research Purposes
  
Biological Properties
  
  
Toxicity
Unknown
  
Toxic
  
Present in Human Body
No
  
No
  
In Blood
0.00 Blood/mg dm-3
  
37
0.00 Blood/mg dm-3
  
37
In Bone
0.00 p.p.m.
  
36
0.00 p.p.m.
  
36
Boiling Point
2,627.00 °C
  
40
2,607.00 °C
  
99+
Appearance
  
  
Physical State
Solid
  
Solid
  
Color
Silver
  
Silvery White
  
Luster
Metallic
  
NA
  
Hardness
  
  
Speed of Sound
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Optical Properties
  
  
Allotropes
No
  
No
  
α Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
β Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
γ Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Chemical Formula
Bk
  
Am
  
Isotopes
  
  
Electronegativity
  
  
Pauling Electronegativity
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
Allen Electronegativity
Not Available
  
Electropositivity
  
  
Pauling Electropositivity
Ionization Energies
  
  
1st Energy Level
601.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
578.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
2nd Energy Level
1,186.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
1,158.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
3rd Energy Level
2,152.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
2,132.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
4th Energy Level
3,434.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
3,493.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
Electrochemical Equivalent
3.07 g/amp-hr
  
16
3.02 g/amp-hr
  
17
Electron Work Function
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Other Chemical Properties
Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Radioactivity
  
Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Radioactivity, Solubility
  
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 5f9 7s2
  
[Rn] 5f7 7s2
  
Crystal Structure
Double Hexagonal Close Packed (DHCP)
  
Double Hexagonal Close Packed (DHCP)
  
Crystal Lattice
DHCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Berkelium.jpg#100
  
DHCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Americium.jpg#100
  
Atom
  
  
Radius of an Atom
  
  
Covalent Radius
Not Available
  
Van der Waals Radius
Not Available
  
Atomic Volume
Not Available
  
17.86 cm3/mol
  
29
Adjacent Atomic Numbers
  
  
Valence Electron Potential
45.50 (-eV)
  
36
44.00 (-eV)
  
40
Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3
  
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3
  
Lattice C/A Ratio
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Density
  
  
Density At Room Temperature
14.78 g/cm3
  
22
12.00 g/cm3
  
30
Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
13.25 g/cm3
  
11
Not Available
  
Tensile Strength
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Viscosity
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Vapor Pressure
  
  
Vapor Pressure at 1000 K
Not Available
  
Elasticity properties
  
  
Poisson Ratio
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Other Mechanical Properties
NA
  
NA
  
Magnetic Characteristics
  
  
Magnetic Ordering
Paramagnetic
  
Paramagnetic
  
Electrical Properties
  
  
Electrical Property
Conductor
  
Unknown
  
Resistivity
Not Available
  
Electrical Conductivity
Not Available
  
0.02 10
6/cm Ω
  
99+
Specific Heat
Not Available
  
0.11 J/(kg K)
  
99+
Molar Heat Capacity
Not Available
  
62.70 J/mol·K
  
1
Thermal Conductivity
10.00 W/m·K
  
99+
10.00 W/m·K
  
99+
Critical Temperature
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Thermal Expansion
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Enthalpy
  
  
Enthalpy of Fusion
Not Available
  
14.39 kJ/mol
  
24
Enthalpy of Atomization
Not Available
  
268.00 kJ/mol
  
40
Standard Molar Entropy
Not Available
  
Not Available