Americium
Atomic number 95 means that every Americium nucleus contains 95 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Americium.
Start with the nucleus
Atomic number 95 means that every Americium nucleus contains 95 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Americium.
Americium (Am) is chemical element 95. It belongs to the actinoids, and its reference state at room temperature is a solid. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
In practice, it turns up most often in smoke detectors and scientific research.
See the atom
Conceptual visual: electron shells are a learning aid, not a literal picture of quantum orbitals.
What this number means
Atomic number 95 means that every Americium nucleus contains 95 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Americium.