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It's usually americium-241. It undergoes alpha-decay with a half-life of about 400 years. Am-241 is artificially manufactured; it doesn't occur in nature.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoMany smoke detectors contain americium.
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What was used in fire detectors before americium?
The first smoke detectors are based on optical principles - photoelectric detectors.
What is americium's normal phase?
Americium's normal phase is solid at room temperature. It is a silvery-white metal that is radioactive and is commonly used in smoke detectors.
What does americium do in smoke detectors?
Americium-241 is used in smoke detectors because it emits alpha particles that ionize the air inside the detector. This ionization process allows a small electric current to flow between two electrodes in the detector. When smoke enters the detector, it disrupts this current, triggering the alarm.
What was the original use of the element Americium?
It might not seem obvious, but the "original use" of the element Americium was as a tool of scientific investigation. Americium is a synthetic element, so it was made in a nuclear reactor facility by exposing plutonium to the neutron flux in the operating core. It was produced in small quantities to investigate its nuclear, chemical and physical properties. That's what it was originally used for. You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americium
Why the Americium is used in smoke detectors?
Americium is used in smoke detectors because it emits alpha particles that ionize the air, creating an electrical current. When smoke enters the detector, it disrupts this current, triggering the alarm. Americium has a long half-life, making it reliable for long-term use in smoke detectors.
What is a radioactive element used is smoke detectors?
Americium 241
What element is used in smoke detectors and named for the US?
The element used in smoke detectors and named after the US is Americium (Am). It is a radioactive element commonly found in household smoke detectors to detect smoke particles in the air.
What synthetic element that is used in smoke detectors?
The synthetic element used in smoke detectors is Americium-241. It emits alpha particles that ionize the air within the smoke detector, causing a small electric current flow. When smoke particles disrupt this current, an alarm is triggered.
A synthetic element that is used in smoke detectors is?
Americium-241 this is an emitter of alpha radiation, which is used in smoke detectors as it is very ionising and will not be able to travel through smoke. Therefore, in a fire the detector will not receive any alpha radiation and hence the alarm will go off.
Is technetium a synthetic element used in smoke detectors?
Yes, technetium is a synthetic element, but it is rarely used in smoke detectors. The element americium is more commonly used in smoke detectors because of its radioactivity, which helps detect smoke particles in the air.
Why are radioactive elements commercially important?
A radioactive element is an element that emits radiation due to instability. They are commercially used in the generation of electricity in nuclear power plants and home smoke detectors among other things.
Is americium a base?
No, americium is not a base. It is a radioactive chemical element with the symbol Am and atomic number 95. It is a metal that is commonly used in smoke detectors.
What household item contains radioactive isotope americium 241?
Smoke detectors typically contain americium-241. This radioactive isotope is used to ionize the air in the detector, allowing it to detect smoke particles and trigger the alarm.
A synthetic element used in smoke detectors?
The synthetic element used in smoke detectors is usually Americium-241. It emits alpha particles which ionize the air in the detector, allowing it to detect smoke and trigger the alarm.
What is the element Am?
Americium is a synthetic element that has the symbol Am and atomic number 95. A radioactive metallic element, americium is an actinide that was obtained in 1944 by Glenn T. Seaborg who was bombarding plutonium with neutrons and was the fourth transuranic element to be discovered. It was named for the Americas, by analogy with europium. Americium is widely used in commercial ionization-chamber smoke detectors as well as in neutron sources and industrial gauges.
Was uranium ever used in smoke detectors?
no. The most commonly used radioactive material is Americium
How long has americium been used in smoke detectors?
Americium has been used in smoke detectors since the 1950s. Its radioactive properties make it ideal for ionizing smoke particles in the detector, allowing it to quickly detect smoke and trigger the alarm.
