Protoactinium (Noun)
Meaning
A short-lived radioactive metallic element formed from uranium and disintegrating into actinium and then into lead.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- The discovery of protoactinium provided significant insight into the radioactive decay chain of uranium.
- Protoactinium has 20 known isotopes, but none of them are stable.
- In the natural radioactive series of uranium, protoactinium is formed as an intermediate product that quickly decays.
- Researchers handle protoactinium with care due to its highly radioactive nature and short half-life.
- The extraction and purification of protoactinium from uranium ores are extremely challenging tasks due to its fleeting presence.