^{Color: Silvery metallic}

^{Explanation of Structure:}

    ^{Curium has a total of 96 Protons and 96 Neturons within the nucleus while totaling up to 151 Electrons circulating in the region outside the nucleus known as the Electron Clouds.  It has a total of 7 energy levels with 2 electrons in the first level, 8 in the second leve, 18 in the third, 32 in the fourth, 25 in the fifth, 9 in the sixth, and the last two in the seventh energy level.   Its Electron Configuration is} 1s²2s²2p⁶3s¹3p⁶3d¹⁰4s²4p⁶4d¹⁰5s²5p⁶4f¹⁴5d¹⁰6s²6p⁶5f⁷6d¹7s^{2 with a valence of +3.  Because Curium is part of the Actinide Series in the Rare Earth Element Group, it is synthetic or man made and is radioactive.}

 

---

 

B.   Chemical Properties and Reaction Tendencies

      Curium is an actinide metal in Group VIII on the periodic table with certain characteristics of gadolinium. It is a radioactive, silvery-white metal that is chemically reactive especially when reacting with oxygen. However, its most stable compounds are oxides and halides. Curium can form both Ionic and Covalent bonds making both formula units and molecules such as Curium Chloride and Curium Tetrafluoride.

        Metallic curium has an interesting reaction tendency. "Metallic curium may be produced by the reduction of curium trifluoride with barium vapor at 1350°C. The metal has a silvery luster, tarnishes in air, and has a specific gravity of 13.5. Its room-temperature structure is double-hexagonal close-packed" (McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology).