Compare Thorium vs Americium: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Thorium and Americium on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Thorium and Americium 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 Thorium vs Americium with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare Th vs Am 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 Thorium and Americium.
Thorium and Americium Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Thorium (Th) and Americium (Am), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 90 | 95 |
| Atomic Symbol | Th | Am |
| Atomic Weight | 232.0381 | 243 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Silver | Silver |
| Metallic Classification | Actinide | Actinide |
| Group in Periodic Table | Actinide (no group number) | Actinide (no group number) |
| Group Name | ||
| Period in Periodic Table | period 7 | period 7 |
| Block in Periodic Table | f -block | f -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Rn] 6d2 7s2 | [Rn] 5f7 7s2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 10, 2 | 2, 8, 18, 32, 25, 8, 2 |
| Melting Point | 2023 K | 1449 K |
| Boiling Point | 5093 K | 2284 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7440-29-1 | CAS7440-35-9 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Thorium | Neighborhood Elements of Americium |
History
| Parameter | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| History | The element Thorium was discovered by J. Berzelius in year 1829 in Sweden. Thorium derived its name from Thor, the Scandinavian god of thunder. | The element Americium was discovered by G. T. Seaborg,R. A. James,O. Morgan and A. Ghiorso in year 1944 in United States. Americium derived its name from The Americas, as the element was first synthesized on the continent, by analogy with europium. |
| Discovery | J. Berzelius (1829) | G. T. Seaborg,R. A. James,O. Morgan and A. Ghiorso (1944) |
| Isolated | D. Lely, Jr. and L. Hamburger (1914) | () |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 0.4 / 0.002 | - / - |
| Abundance in Sun | 0.3 / 0.002 | - / - |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 40 / 3 | - / - |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 6000 / 540 | - / - |
| Abundance in Oceans | 0.00004 / 0.0000011 | - / - |
| Abundance in Humans | - / - | - / - |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 19.7917 cm3/mol | 17.63 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 180 pm | 175 pm |
| Covalent Radius | - | - |
| Van der Waals Radius | - | - |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum |  |  |
| Absorption Spectrum |  |  |
| Lattice Constant | 508.42, 508.42, 508.42 pm | 346.81, 346.81, 1124.1 pm |
| Lattice Angle | π/2, π/2, π/2 | π/2, π/2, 2 π/3 |
| Space Group Name | Fm_ 3m | P63/mmc |
| Space Group Number | 225 | 194 |
| Crystal Structure | Face Centered Cubic  | Simple Hexagonal  |
Atomic and Orbital Properties
| Property | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 90 | 95 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 90 | 95 |
| Number of Protons | 90 | 95 |
| Mass Number | 232.0381 | 243 |
| Number of Neutrons | 142 | 148 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 10, 2 | 2, 8, 18, 32, 25, 8, 2 |
| Electron Configuration | [Rn] 6d2 7s2 | [Rn] 5f7 7s2 |
| Valence Electrons | 6d2 7s2 | 5f7 7s2 |
| Oxidation State | 4 | 3 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 3F2 | 8S7/2 |
| Shell structure |  |  |
Isotopes and Nuclear Properties
Thorium has 1 stable naturally occuring isotopes while Americium has 0 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| Known Isotopes | 209Th, 210Th, 211Th, 212Th, 213Th, 214Th, 215Th, 216Th, 217Th, 218Th, 219Th, 220Th, 221Th, 222Th, 223Th, 224Th, 225Th, 226Th, 227Th, 228Th, 229Th, 230Th, 231Th, 232Th, 233Th, 234Th, 235Th, 236Th, 237Th, 238Th | 231Am, 232Am, 233Am, 234Am, 235Am, 236Am, 237Am, 238Am, 239Am, 240Am, 241Am, 242Am, 243Am, 244Am, 245Am, 246Am, 247Am, 248Am, 249Am |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 232Th | |
| Neutron Cross Section | 7.4 | 74 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.001 | - |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 4 | 4 |
| Electronegativity | 1.3 Pauling Scale | 1.13 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | 4 | 3 |
| Electron Affinity | - | - |
| Ionization Energies | 1st: 587 kJ/mol 2nd: 1110 kJ/mol 3rd: 1930 kJ/mol 4th: 2780 kJ/mol | 1st: 578 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Thorium (11.724 g/cm³) is less dense than Americium (13.67 g/cm³). This means that a given volume of Americium will be heavier than the same volume of Thorium. Americium is about 16.6 denser than Thorium
| Property | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Silver | Silver |
| Density | 11.724 g/cm3 | 13.67 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | - | - |
| Molar Volume | 19.7917 cm3/mol | 17.63 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | 79 | - |
| Shear Modulus | 31 GPa | - |
| Bulk Modulus | 54 GPa | - |
| Poisson Ratio | 0.27 | - |
Hardness - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element | ||
| Mohs Hardness | 3 MPa | - |
| Vickers Hardness | 350 MPa | - |
| Brinell Hardness | 400 MPa | - |
Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
| Property | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 54 W/(m K) | 10 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.000011 /K | - |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 6700000 S/m | - |
| Resistivity | 1.5e-7 m Ω | - |
| Superconducting Point | 1.38 | 0.6 |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Paramagnetic | Paramagnetic |
| Curie Point | - | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | 7.2e-9 m3/kg | 5.15e-8 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | 1.7e-9 m3/mol | 1.251e-8 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | 0.000084 | 0.000704 |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | - | - |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | 2490 m/s | - |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 2023 K | 1449 K |
| Boiling Point | 5093 K | 2284 K |
| Critical Temperature | - | - |
| Superconducting Point | 1.38 | 0.6 |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 16 kJ/mol | - |
| Heat of Vaporization | 530 kJ/mol | - |
| Heat of Combustion | - | - |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Thorium | Americium |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7440-29-1 | CAS7440-35-9 |
| RTECS Number | RTECSXO6400000 | - |
| DOT Hazard Class | 7 | - |
| DOT Numbers | 2975 | - |
| EU Number | EU231-139-7 | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | - | - |
| NFPA Health Rating | - | - |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | - | - |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | 130 °C | - |
| Flashpoint | - | - |
Compare Thorium and Americium With Other Elements
Compare Thorium and Americium with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howThorium and Americium 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.