| Origin of Name |
After the Greek god, Prometheus, who stole fire from the sky and
gave it to man |
| Date and Place of Discovery |
In 1944 at the Clinton Laboratories in Oak Ridge, Tennessee as part of the
Manhattan Project, but not documented or claimed until 1946 |
| Discovered by |
Jacob A. Marinsky, Lawrence E. Glendenin and
Charles D. Coryell |
| Common Compounds |
|
| Interesting facts |
- Its existence was predicted by
Bohuslav Brauner in 1902, which was supported by
Henry Moseley in 1914
- It was discovered while analyzing the byproducts of uranium fission in a nuclear
reactor.
- Only trace amounts have been found in nature.
- It has been found in
pitchblende.
- It is highly radioactive.
- It can generate X-rays during beta decay.
|
| Common Uses |
- Thickness gauges.
- Nuclear batteries
- Luminous paint for watches
- Luminous paints
- Possible future uses: X-rays, space probes and satellites
|