Actinides

periodic-table · radioactive · heavy-metals · chemistry

Heavy metal elements. Actinides are 15 metallic elements found on the periodic table, starting with actinium and going through lawrencium. They sit together in a special row because they share similar chemical properties.

Mostly radioactive. Almost all actinides are radioactive, meaning their atoms break apart over time and release energy. This makes them unstable and sometimes dangerous to handle.

The 5f series. Most actinides have something called the 5f series, which means they fill up a special electron shell in their atoms. This is what makes them a family that acts similarly to each other.

Uranium and plutonium. Two of the most famous actinides are uranium and plutonium, which are used in nuclear power plants and have been important throughout modern history.

Named after actinium. The whole group gets its name from actinium, which is the first element in the series with atomic number 89.