Use
Americium-141, with a half-life of 432 years, which produces both alpha (helium nuclei)and gamma rays (somewhat like X-rays), has found some commercial uses. One use is as thedetector used in household smoke alarms The americium-141 isotope emits alpha particlesthat ionize air by removing electrons from the molecules of air and improving its electricalconductivity. Smoke reduces this conductivity, thus triggering the alarm. Another use is americium-241’s high-energy gamma rays in radiography, in which portable X-ray instruments caneasily be transported for emergency use. As a gamma ray source, americium-241 is used as adiagnostic aid to check the quality of welds in metals.