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PT 96 Curium Traditional Cache

Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Welcome to the periodic table of the elements powered trail.

27/08/2018 Update: the Periodic Table series is being adopted by multiple volunteers.


Welcome to the periodic table of the elements powered trail. There will be 113 caches to each represent each element on the periodic table (until new elements are added). For simplicity sake only elements approved by the “International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry” will be included in this series.



The cache containers are small tubes as shown in the picture below


These containers have only a logbook inside them and no pen/pencil. Please make sure to bring a pen.

Curium is a hard, brittle, radioactive silvery metal. It does not occur in nature and must be made in a nuclear reactor by neutron capture reactions from plutonium and americium isotopes. It tarnishes slowly in dry air at room temperature. Curium was first produced in 1944 at the University of California, Berkeley in the USA in a cyclotron by bombarding plutonium-239 (239Pu) with α-particles. It was isolated in visible quantities as the hydroxide, Cm(OH)3, in 1947.

Most compounds of Cm(III) are faintly yellow. If curium enters the body it accumulates in the bones, and is therefore very toxic as its radiation destroys the red-cell forming mechanism. Curium is a radioactive rare earth metal. The most stable isotope is 247Cm which has a half-life of 16 million years. Curium is probably present in uranium ores. It has a few specialised uses but only a few of its compounds are known. Source: Webelements.

This power trail starts at Mount Henry Bridge and continues south down the freeway cyclepath. This power trail is designed for bicycles or walkers and will be extremely hard, if not impossible for drivers. There is however a car park and a playground near the start.

Please stay safe and enjoy the power trail.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)