Uranium and the Rare Earth Metals

by Saunders, Nigel

• ISBN13: 9781403416667
• ISBN10: 1403416664
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-02-01
• Publisher: Heinemann/Raintree
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

What are YAG crystals used for? How are new elements created? Find out the answers to these and other fascinating questions in 'Uranium and the Rare Earth Metals'. This book investigates the uses for these elements, from tracer bullets to television sets. It explains isotopes, half-lives, and the different forms of radiation. This book explores both the wonderful and terrible ways in which radioactivity is used. Elements in this book: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, actinium, thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium, curium, berkelium, californium, einsteinium, fermium, mendelevium, nobelium, and lawrencium.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Elements and Atomic Structure	4	(2)
Chapter 2 The Periodic Table, the Lanthanides, and the Actinides	6	(2)
Chapter 3 The Lanthanides	8	(4)
From Ore to Metal	10	(2)
Chapter 4 Lanthanum, Cerium, and the Twins	12	(8)
Cerium	14	(2)
Cerium oxide	16	(2)
Praseodymium	18	(2)
Chapter 5 More Members of the Lanthanides	20	(12)
Europium	22	(2)
Gadolinium	24	(2)
Dysprosium	26	(2)
Erbium	28	(2)
Ytterbium	30	(2)
Chapter 6 The Actinides and Radioactivity	32	(14)
Actinium	34	(2)
Thorium	36	(2)
Protactinium	38	(2)
Uranium	40	(2)
Uses of uranium	42	(2)
Bombs and reactors	44	(2)
Chapter 7 The Artificial Actinides	46	(12)
Plutonium	48	(2)
Americium	50	(2)
Curium	52	(2)
Californium	54	(2)
Mendelevium	56	(2)
Find Out More About the F Block Metals	58	(3)
Timeline	61	(1)
Glossary	62	(1)
Further Reading and Useful Websites	63	(1)
Index	64