Tennessine

Tennessine is a synthetic, highly radioactive metal with the atomic number 117, discovered by a team of scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia, in collaboration with researchers from Vanderbilt University and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The discovery of this element was announced in 2010, and it was officially recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) in 2016, naming it after the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The element's discovery was a result of the collaboration between scientists from Russia, the United States, and other countries, including Germany and Japan. Researchers from California Institute of Technology and University of California, Berkeley also contributed to the discovery.

Introduction

Tennessine is a member of the periodic table's seventh period and is classified as a post-transition metal or a metalloid. Its discovery has expanded our understanding of the periodic table and the properties of superheavy elements, which are elements with atomic numbers greater than 104, such as Oganesson, Moscovium, and Flerovium. The study of these elements has involved researchers from institutions like CERN, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the University of California, Los Angeles. Scientists from France, China, and India have also made significant contributions to the field. The discovery of Tennessine has been recognized by the Nobel Prize committee, and researchers like Glenn Seaborg and Albert Ghiorso have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on transuranic elements.

History

The discovery of Tennessine was the result of a long-standing collaboration between scientists from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and researchers from Vanderbilt University and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The team, led by scientists like Yuri Oganessian and Vladimir Utyonkov, used a particle accelerator to bombard a target of berkelium with calcium ions, producing a few atoms of the new element. The discovery was confirmed by researchers from University of California, Berkeley and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The name "Tennessine" was chosen to recognize the contributions of the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the discovery. Other institutions, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Stanford University, have also been involved in the research on superheavy elements.

Physical properties

Tennessine is expected to be a solid at room temperature, although its physical properties have not been directly measured due to its highly radioactive nature. Researchers from Harvard University and the University of Oxford have used theoretical models to predict the element's properties, such as its melting point and boiling point. The element's density is expected to be around 7-8 g/cm³, similar to that of other post-transition metals like Astatine and Radon. Scientists from University of Cambridge and the Imperial College London have also contributed to the theoretical understanding of Tennessine's properties.

Chemical properties

The chemical properties of Tennessine are not well understood due to its highly radioactive nature and the limited number of atoms that have been produced. However, researchers from University of Chicago and the Argonne National Laboratory have used theoretical models to predict the element's chemical behavior, such as its electron configuration and oxidation states. The element is expected to be a halogen or a noble gas, similar to Oganesson and Moscovium. Scientists from University of Tokyo and the Kyoto University have also made predictions about the element's chemical properties.

Synthesis

The synthesis of Tennessine involves the bombardment of a target of berkelium with calcium ions using a particle accelerator. The reaction produces a few atoms of the new element, which are then separated and identified using various spectroscopic techniques. Researchers from Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory have developed new methods for synthesizing superheavy elements like Tennessine. Scientists from CERN and the European Organization for Nuclear Research have also contributed to the development of new particle accelerators for the synthesis of these elements.

Occurrence

Tennessine is not found naturally on Earth and can only be produced artificially in a laboratory. The element's highly radioactive nature means that it decays quickly into other elements, such as Moscovium and Flerovium. Researchers from University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have studied the decay properties of Tennessine and other superheavy elements. Scientists from France and Germany have also made significant contributions to the study of these elements. The research on Tennessine has involved collaborations between institutions like NASA and the European Space Agency. Category:Chemical elements