Cm
Curium
Element 96 · 247.07035 u
Curium glows purple in the dark and has traveled to Mars aboard NASA rovers.
Physical Properties
| Atomic Mass | 247.07035 u |
| Density | 13.51 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 1613.0 K |
| Boiling Point | 3383.0 K |
| Appearance | Silvery metallic, glows purple |
| State at Room Temp | Solid |
Chemical Properties
| Electronegativity | 1.3 (Pauling) |
| 1st Ionization Energy | 581.0 kJ/mol |
| Electron Affinity | 27.17 kJ/mol |
| Oxidation States | +3, +4 |
Atomic Properties
| Electron Configuration | [Rn] 5f7 6d1 7s2 |
| Atomic Radius | 174.0 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 245.0 pm |
Discovery
| Discovered By | Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph A. James, Albert Ghiorso |
| Discovery Year | 1944 |
| Location | Berkeley, California, USA |
| Named After | Named after Marie and Pierre Curie |
About Curium
Curium is a hard, dense, silvery metal that glows reddish-purple from radioactive energy. Curium-244 has been used in X-ray spectrometers on Mars rovers.
Uses & Applications
Mars rover X-ray spectrometers, potential RTG fuel, and scientific research.
Fun Fact
Curium glows purple from its own radioactivity and has analyzed Martian rocks aboard NASA rovers.
Isotopes
| Mass Number | Abundance | Half-Life | Stable |
| 244 | - | 18.1 years | No |
| 247 | - | 15.6 million years | No |
| 248 | - | 348,000 years | No |
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 5f7 6d1 7s2