Scientists Create Livermorium, element 116, using titanium-50

LIVERMORIUM

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Context

Scientists at Berkeley Lab created livermorium (element 116) using titanium-50, marking a step toward synthesizing element 120.
The process involved a 22-day experiment using a powerful particle accelerator to fuse titanium-50 with a plutonium target, producing two atoms of livermorium.
The discovery is significant for studying the stability and properties of superheavy elements. Future efforts will target the creation of element 120, potentially offering new insights into atomic nuclei.

Details

What is Element 116 (Livermorium) and Why Does It Matter?

Superheavy Elements: Livermorium belongs to the "superheavy" category of elements, which exist beyond the known elements in the periodic table and are typically very unstable.
Significance: The creation of livermorium demonstrates a new method that could be used to create even heavier elements, such as element 120, providing valuable insights into the behavior of atoms at their heaviest.

How Was Element 116 Created?

Particle Accelerator: The Berkeley Lab team used a powerful particle accelerator to smash together titanium-50 atoms.
Method: Researchers combined isotopes of titanium and plutonium to create livermorium.
Achievement: Over 22 days, they managed to create two atoms of livermorium, marking a significant accomplishment.

Creating Heavier Atoms

Isotopes: Titanium-50 was chosen for its specific number of protons and neutrons. Previous superheavy elements were made using a different isotope, calcium-48, known for its favorable properties for fusion.
Beam Production: The process involved heating titanium metal to nearly 3000 degrees Fahrenheit and using advanced equipment to produce and accelerate the beam.

Why Target Element 120?

Goal: The ultimate aim is to create element 120, the heaviest element ever made, which would occupy the eighth row of the periodic table.
Potential Discoveries: Element 120 could reveal new properties about atomic nuclei, possibly leading to the discovery of more stable superheavy elements.

Livermorium

Livermorium is a synthetic element with the atomic number 116 and symbol Lv.
It was first synthesized in 2000 through a collaboration between the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in the United States.
The element is named in honor of LLNL and the city of Livermore, California.
Discovery and Synthesis:Livermorium was produced by bombarding curium-248 atoms with calcium-48 ions, resulting in the creation of a single atom of livermorium.

Properties

Physical Properties:
- - State at Room Temperature:Predicted to be solid.
  - Density:Estimated to be around 12.9 g/cm³.
  - Melting Point:Predicted between 637–780 K.
  - Boiling Point:Predicted between 1035–1135 K.
  - Appearance:Not yet observed in sufficient quantities to confirm visual characteristics.
Chemical Properties:
- - Oxidation States:Predicted to be -2, +2, and +4.
  - Reactivity:Expected to exhibit some similarities with other group 16 elements, like polonium. However, its exact chemical behavior remains largely unexplored due to its instability and the challenges of studying such heavy elements.
Isotopes:
- - The known isotopes of livermorium range from ^290Lv to ^293Lv. The most stable isotope, ^293Lv, has a half-life of about 60 milliseconds, making it one of the more stable superheavy elements. This relative stability places livermorium near the so-called "island of stability" in the periodic table.

Titanium

*Attribute*	*Details*
Chemical Symbol	Ti
Atomic Number	22
Atomic Weight	47.867
Density	4.506 g/cm³ at room temperature
Appearance	Silvery grey-white metallic
Melting Point	1941 K
Boiling Point	3560 K
Crystal Structure	Hexagonal Close Packed
Magnetic Properties	Nonmagnetic, paramagnetic in a magnetic field
Oxidation States	+2, +3, +4
Key Properties	High strength-to-density ratio, corrosion resistance, low thermal expansion, biocompatibility
Primary Uses	Aerospace (aircraft structures, engines), medical implants (prosthetics, dental implants), industrial (chemical processing, desalination), sports equipment (golf clubs, bicycles), pigments and additives (titanium dioxide in paints, plastics, paper)
Discovery	First identified in 1791 by William Gregor; named by Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1795
Historical Significance	Initially difficult to isolate, significant industrial use began in the 20th century

Synthetic Elements In The Periodic Table

*Element*	*Symbol*	*Atomic Number*	*Discovery Year*	*Half-life*	*Method of Synthesis*	*Notable Uses/Properties*
Technetium	Tc	43	1937	6 hours to 4.2 million years	Neutron capture and decay	Radiopharmaceuticals, corrosion-resistant alloys
Promethium	Pm	61	1945	17.7 years	Fission products from uranium and thorium	Nuclear batteries, research
Neptunium	Np	93	1940	2.14 million years	Neutron bombardment of uranium-238	Research, nuclear reactors
Plutonium	Pu	94	1940	24,110 years	Neutron capture in uranium-238	Nuclear weapons, nuclear reactors
Americium	Am	95	1944	432.2 years	Neutron bombardment of plutonium	Smoke detectors, radiography
Curium	Cm	96	1944	15.6 million years	Neutron bombardment of plutonium	Research, alpha-particle sources
Berkelium	Bk	97	1949	330 days	Neutron bombardment of americium	Research
Californium	Cf	98	1950	2.6 years	Neutron bombardment of curium	Neutron sources, cancer treatment
Einsteinium	Es	99	1952	1.3 years	Thermonuclear explosion debris	Research
Fermium	Fm	100	1952	100.5 days	Thermonuclear explosion debris	Research
Mendelevium	Md	101	1955	28 days	Alpha particle bombardment of einsteinium	Research
Nobelium	No	102	1966	58 minutes	Bombardment of californium with carbon ions	Research
Lawrencium	Lr	103	1961	3.6 hours	Bombardment of californium with boron ions	Research
Rutherfordium	Rf	104	1964	1.3 hours	Bombardment of curium with carbon ions	Research
Dubnium	Db	105	1967	34 seconds	Bombardment of californium with nitrogen	Research
Seaborgium	Sg	106	1974	2.4 minutes	Bombardment of californium with oxygen	Research
Bohrium	Bh	107	1981	61 seconds	Bombardment of bismuth with chromium	Research
Hassium	Hs	108	1984	16 seconds	Bombardment of lead with iron	Research
Meitnerium	Mt	109	1982	7.6 seconds	Bombardment of bismuth with iron	Research
Darmstadtium	Ds	110	1994	10 seconds	Bombardment of lead with nickel	Research
Roentgenium	Rg	111	1994	26 seconds	Bombardment of bismuth with nickel	Research
Copernicium	Cn	112	1996	29 seconds	Bombardment of lead with zinc	Research
Nihonium	Nh	113	2004	20 seconds	Bombardment of bismuth with zinc	Research
Flerovium	Fl	114	1998	2.7 seconds	Bombardment of plutonium with calcium	Research
Moscovium	Mc	115	2003	0.7 seconds	Bombardment of americium with calcium	Research
Livermorium	Lv	116	2000	0.6 seconds	Bombardment of curium with calcium	Research
Tennessine	Ts	117	2010	78 milliseconds	Bombardment of berkelium with calcium	Research
Oganesson	Og	118	2002	0.9 milliseconds	Bombardment of californium with calcium	Research

*Aspect*	*Description*
History and Development	The Periodic Table was first conceptualized by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869, who arranged elements by increasing atomic mass and observed periodic patterns in their properties. This early table left gaps for undiscovered elements, which Mendeleev predicted with remarkable accuracy. The modern Periodic Table is arranged by increasing atomic number, a refinement introduced by Henry Moseley, which resolved inconsistencies in Mendeleev's arrangement.
Structure	The Periodic Table consists of 7 rows called periods and 18 columns called groups or families. Elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic number (number of protons). Each period corresponds to the number of electron shells an element's atoms possess, while each group shares the same number of electrons in their outermost shell, leading to similar chemical behaviors.
Major Categories	Metals: Located on the left and center, characterized by high electrical conductivity, malleability, ductility, and a lustrous appearance. Nonmetals: Located on the right side, they are generally poor conductors of heat and electricity and can be gases, liquids, or solids at room temperature. Metalloids: Found along the zigzag line (stair-step) between metals and nonmetals, these elements exhibit properties intermediate between those of metals and nonmetals.
Periodic Trends	Atomic Radius: Decreases across a period due to increasing nuclear charge pulling electrons closer to the nucleus, increases down a group as additional electron shells are added. Ionization Energy: The energy required to remove an electron from an atom; it increases across a period due to stronger nuclear attraction, decreases down a group as electrons are farther from the nucleus. Electron Affinity: The energy change when an electron is added to a neutral atom; generally becomes more negative across a period, indicating a greater tendency to accept electrons.
Notable Groups	Alkali Metals (Group 1): Highly reactive, especially with water, producing hydrogen gas and a strong base. Examples include lithium (Li), sodium (Na), and potassium (K). Alkaline Earth Metals (Group 2): Less reactive than alkali metals but still form basic oxides. Examples include magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca). Transition Metals (Groups 3-12): Known for their ability to form various oxidation states and colorful compounds. Includes elements like iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and gold (Au). Halogens (Group 17): Very reactive nonmetals, especially with alkali and alkaline earth metals to form salts. Examples include fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), and iodine (I). Noble Gases (Group 18): Inert gases with full valence electron shells, making them very stable and unreactive. Includes helium (He), neon (Ne), and argon (Ar).
Block Classification	Elements are divided into blocks based on their electron configurations: s-block: Groups 1 and 2 (and Helium). p-block: Groups 13 to 18. d-block: Transition metals, characterized by d-orbital filling. f-block: Lanthanides and actinides, known as inner transition metals, characterized by f-orbital filling.
Applications and Uses	The elements of the periodic table have diverse applications in various fields: Metals like iron and aluminum are used in construction and manufacturing. Nonmetals like oxygen are essential for life, while carbon is the basis of organic chemistry. Metalloids like silicon are crucial in electronics and semiconductors [7][8].
Modern Discoveries	The discovery of new elements continues, with recent additions including superheavy elements like nihonium (Nh, atomic number 113), moscovium (Mc, 115), tennessine (Ts, 117), and oganesson (Og, 118). These elements are synthesized in laboratories and often have very short half-lives, existing only for fractions of a second.

Sources:

NEWS9LIVE

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q: Consider the following statements regarding the properties of elements in the periodic table:

The atomic radius generally increases from left to right across a period.
Ionization energy generally decreases down a group in the periodic table.
Electronegativity values generally increase from left to right across a period.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: b)