Compare Cerium vs Actinium: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Cerium and Actinium on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Cerium and Actinium comparison table side by side across over 90 properties. All the elements of similar categories show a lot of similarities and differences in their chemical, atomic, physical properties and uses. These similarities and dissimilarities should be known while we study periodic table elements. You can study the detailed comparison between Cerium vs Actinium with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare Ce vs Ac on more than 90 properties like electronegativity, oxidation state, atomic shells, orbital structure, Electronaffinity, physical states, electrical conductivity and many more. This in-depth comparison helps students, educators, researchers, and science enthusiasts understand the differences and similarities between Cerium and Actinium.
Cerium and Actinium Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Cerium (Ce) and Actinium (Ac), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 58 | 89 |
| Atomic Symbol | Ce | Ac |
| Atomic Weight | 140.116 | 227 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Silver | Silver |
| Metallic Classification | Lanthanide | Actinide |
| Group in Periodic Table | Lanthanide (no group number) | Actinide (no group number) |
| Group Name | ||
| Period in Periodic Table | period 6 | period 7 |
| Block in Periodic Table | f -block | f -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Xe] 4f1 5d1 6s2 | [Rn] 6d1 7s2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 19, 9, 2 | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 9, 2 |
| Melting Point | 1071 K | 1323 K |
| Boiling Point | 3633 K | 3473 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7440-45-1 | CAS7440-34-8 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Cerium | Neighborhood Elements of Actinium |
History
| Parameter | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| History | The element Cerium was discovered by H. Klaproth, J. Berzelius, and W. Hisinger in year 1803 in Germany and Sweden. Cerium derived its name . | The element Actinium was discovered by F. O. Giesel in year 1902 in France. Actinium derived its name from the Greek aktis, 'ray'. |
| Discovery | H. Klaproth, J. Berzelius, and W. Hisinger (1803) | F. O. Giesel (1902) |
| Isolated | G. Mosander (1838) | F. O. Giesel (1902) |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 10 / 0.09 | / |
| Abundance in Sun | 4 / 0.03 | / |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 760 / 110 | / |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 60000 / 8900 | / |
| Abundance in Oceans | 0.0012 / 0.000053 | / |
| Abundance in Humans | - / - | / |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 20.947 cm3/mol | 22.5422 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 185 pm | 195 pm |
| Covalent Radius | - | - |
| Van der Waals Radius | - | - |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum |  |  |
| Absorption Spectrum |  |  |
| Lattice Constant | 362, 362, 599 pm | 567, 567, 567 pm |
| Lattice Angle | π/2, π/2, 2 π/3 | π/2, π/2, π/2 |
| Space Group Name | P63/mmc | Fm_ 3m |
| Space Group Number | 194 | 225 |
| Crystal Structure | Simple Hexagonal  | Face Centered Cubic  |
Atomic and Orbital Properties
| Property | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 58 | 89 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 58 | 89 |
| Number of Protons | 58 | 89 |
| Mass Number | 140.116 | 227 |
| Number of Neutrons | 82 | 138 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 19, 9, 2 | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 9, 2 |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f1 5d1 6s2 | [Rn] 6d1 7s2 |
| Valence Electrons | 4f1 5d1 6s2 | 6d1 7s2 |
| Oxidation State | 3, 4 | 3 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 1G4 | 2D3/2 |
| Shell structure |  |  |
Isotopes and Nuclear Properties
Cerium has 4 stable naturally occuring isotopes while Actinium has 0 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| Known Isotopes | 119Ce, 120Ce, 121Ce, 122Ce, 123Ce, 124Ce, 125Ce, 126Ce, 127Ce, 128Ce, 129Ce, 130Ce, 131Ce, 132Ce, 133Ce, 134Ce, 135Ce, 136Ce, 137Ce, 138Ce, 139Ce, 140Ce, 141Ce, 142Ce, 143Ce, 144Ce, 145Ce, 146Ce, 147Ce, 148Ce, 149Ce, 150Ce, 151Ce, 152Ce, 153Ce, 154Ce, 155Ce, 156Ce, 157Ce | 206Ac, 207Ac, 208Ac, 209Ac, 210Ac, 211Ac, 212Ac, 213Ac, 214Ac, 215Ac, 216Ac, 217Ac, 218Ac, 219Ac, 220Ac, 221Ac, 222Ac, 223Ac, 224Ac, 225Ac, 226Ac, 227Ac, 228Ac, 229Ac, 230Ac, 231Ac, 232Ac, 233Ac, 234Ac, 235Ac, 236Ac |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 136Ce, 138Ce, 140Ce, 142Ce | |
| Neutron Cross Section | 0.6 | 810 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.00021 | 0.079 |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 4 | 3 |
| Electronegativity | 1.12 Pauling Scale | 1.1 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | 3, 4 | 3 |
| Electron Affinity | 50 kJ/mol | - |
| Ionization Energies | 1st: 534.4 kJ/mol 2nd: 1050 kJ/mol 3rd: 1949 kJ/mol 4th: 3547 kJ/mol 5th: 6325 kJ/mol 6th: 7490 kJ/mol | 1st: 499 kJ/mol 2nd: 1170 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Cerium (6.689 g/cm³) is less dense than Actinium (10.07 g/cm³). This means that a given volume of Actinium will be heavier than the same volume of Cerium. Actinium is about 50.5 denser than Cerium
| Property | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Silver | Silver |
| Density | 6.689 g/cm3 | 10.07 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | 6.55 g/cm3 | - |
| Molar Volume | 20.947 cm3/mol | 22.5422 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | 34 | - |
| Shear Modulus | 14 GPa | - |
| Bulk Modulus | 22 GPa | - |
| Poisson Ratio | 0.24 | - |
Hardness - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element | ||
| Mohs Hardness | 2.5 MPa | - |
| Vickers Hardness | 270 MPa | - |
| Brinell Hardness | 412 MPa | - |
Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
| Property | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 11 W/(m K) | 12 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.0000063 /K | - |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 1400000 S/m | - |
| Resistivity | 7.4e-7 m Ω | - |
| Superconducting Point | 0.022 | - |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Paramagnetic | - |
| Curie Point | - | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | 2.2e-7 m3/kg | - |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | 3.0826e-8 m3/mol | - |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | 0.0014716 | - |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | - | - |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | 2100 m/s | - |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 1071 K | 1323 K |
| Boiling Point | 3633 K | 3473 K |
| Critical Temperature | - | - |
| Superconducting Point | 0.022 | - |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 5.5 kJ/mol | 14 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 350 kJ/mol | 400 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - | - |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Cerium | Actinium |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7440-45-1 | CAS7440-34-8 |
| RTECS Number | - | - |
| DOT Hazard Class | 4.1 | - |
| DOT Numbers | 1333 | - |
| EU Number | - | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | 3 | - |
| NFPA Health Rating | 2 | - |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | 2 | - |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | - | - |
| Flashpoint | - | - |
Compare Cerium and Actinium With Other Elements
Compare Cerium and Actinium with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howCerium and Actinium stack up against other elements of the periodic table. Use our interactive comparison tool to analyze 90+ properties across different metals, non-metals, metalloids, and noble gases. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in engineering, chemistry, electronics, biology, and material science.