What is Americium? Periodic Table Group and Classification of the Americium Element Elements can be classified based on their physical states (States of Matter) e.g. gas, solid or liquid. This element is a solid. Americium classified as an element in the Actinide series as one of the "Rare Earth Elements" which can located in Group 3 elements of the Periodic Table and in the 6th and 7th periods. The Rare Earth Elements are of the Lanthanide and Actinide series. Most of the elements in the Actinide series are synthetic or man-made. Nearly 75% of all the elements in the Periodic Table are classified as metals which are detailed in the List of Metals. Facts about the Discovery and History of the Americium Element Americium was first synthesized by Glenn T. Seaborg, Leon O. Morgan, Ralph A. James, and Albert Ghiorso in 1944 in the USA. The discovery generally credited to Discoverer: G.T. Seaborg. What is Americium? Occurrence of the Americium Element Man-made Glenn T. Seaborg The American scientist Glenn T. Seaborg (1912 - 1999) won the 1951 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for "discoveries in the chemistry of the transuranium elements". Glenn Seaborg contributed to the discovery and isolation of ten elements: plutonium, americium, curium, berkelium, californium, einsteinium, fermium, mendelevium, nobelium and element 106, which was named seaborgium in his honor whilst he was still living. Glenn Seaborg also developed the actinide concept, which led to the current arrangement of the actinoid series in the periodic table of the elements. Glenn Seaborg (1912 - 1999) Abundances of the element in different environments % in Universe N/A % in Sun None % in Meteorites None % in Earth's Crust None % in Oceans None % in Humans None Associated Uses of Americium Smoke detectors Radiography |