Californium

Californium is a synthetic radioactive actinide metal with atomic number 98. Its isotope californium-252 emits intense neutrons, making it useful in research and industry.

Californium-252: A californium isotope that undergoes spontaneous fission and emits intense neutron radiation. Its strong neutron emission drives most practical uses of californium.
Actinide series: The series of 15 metallic elements from actinium through lawrencium, characterized by filling 5f orbitals. Californium belongs to this series of heavy elements.
University of California Radiation Laboratory: A research laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, later known as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Researchers there first synthesized and identified californium.
Atomic number: The number of protons in an atomic nucleus, which determines the identity of an element. Californium’s 98 protons distinguish it from neighboring elements.
Curium: A synthetic radioactive actinide metal with atomic number 96. Curium is a lighter actinide used as a target to synthesize californium.
Neutron source: A device or material that produces free neutrons for research, industry, or other applications. Californium-252 serves as a compact source of neutrons.
Nuclear fission: The splitting of an atomic nucleus into smaller nuclei, releasing energy and usually neutrons. Spontaneous fission in californium-252 releases its characteristic neutrons.
Stanley G. Thompson: An American nuclear chemist who helped discover several transuranium elements. Thompson was part of the team that discovered californium.
Chemical element: A pure substance defined by atoms with the same number of protons. Californium is one element in the periodic table.
Berkelium: A synthetic radioactive actinide metal with atomic number 97. Berkelium directly precedes californium in the actinide series.

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