#actinides

• Actinides — Plural form for the neuter noun 'actinid'; a homogeneous structural group in the periodic table consisting of 15 metallic and radioactive chemical elements, with atomic numbers ranging from 89 (actinium) to 103 (lawrencium). Located in the 'f' block of transition elements in the 7th period, they exhibit similar chemical properties due to the progressive filling of the 5f electron subshell, being recognized for their high density, substantial nuclear instability, and capacity to undergo fission.
• Actinium — A radioactive, silvery-white metallic chemical element with atomic number 89 and symbol Ac, which initiates the actinide series in the periodic table. Discovered in 1899 by André-Louis Debierne, actinium is extremely rare in the Earth's crust, occurring in trace amounts within uranium ores. Structurally, it crystallizes in a face-centered cubic system, is highly reactive, and emits an intense bluish glow in the dark due to the ionization of the surrounding air.