Definition of americium
: a radioactive metallic element produced artificially by bombarding plutonium with high-energy neutrons — see Chemical Elements Table
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Recent Examples of americium from the Web
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Inhalation of the particles, which included uranium, thorium, plutonium and americium, can increase the risk of cancer.
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Heavier elements are also created in a reactor core when uranium that hasn't been fissioned captures neutrons (plutonium and americium are two of these).
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State monitoring has found that plutonium and americium particles traveled as far as 10 miles from the demolition site, near Richland.
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Outside the body, small bits of americium pose almost no threat to human health.
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While in his bedroom, devices used by police bomb technicians alerted to the presence of radiation sources — thorium and americium.
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The criminal complaint says those were thorium and americium, both radioactive metals.
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Power would come from a tiny radioactive source like americium, the element in smoke detectors.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'americium.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of americium
New Latin, from America + New Latin -ium
Medical Dictionary
medical Definition of americium
: a radioactive metallic element produced by bombardment of plutonium with high-energy neutrons
—symbol Am
— see Chemical Elements Table
Learn More about americium
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about americium
Seen and Heard
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