Scientists Create New Heavy Element (AP)

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By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer
Monday, October 16, 2006

Revisiting one of physics’ most embarrassing cases of scientific misconduct, researchers from Russia and the United States announced Monday that they have created a new super-heavy element, atomic number 118.

Scientists said they smashed together calcium with the manmade element Californium to make an atom with 118 protons in its nucleus. The new element lasted for just one millisecond, but it was the heaviest element ever made and the first manmade inert gas — the atomic family that includes helium, neon and radon.

If confirmed, the still-unnamed element would be placed beneath radon on the periodic table of elements, said Ken Moody of the Lawrence Livermore National Lab in California, which was joined on the project by Russia’s Joint Institute of Nuclear Research.

Full article…
 
I was always fascinated by this in high school chemistry (circa 1997, so I’m sure there’re a few more elements now than there were then).

I get that there’s a definition of an element, and these really unstable, unsustainable atoms fit the bill. But if it’s not found in nature and can’t last more than a thousandth of a second, WHY does it deserve a place on the periodic table? It’s not like you’ll ever run into it on your own and need to identify it.

It all seems like an excuse to spend massive amounts of grant money and get international recognition for chemistry geeks. Do we actually USE any of the manmade elements for anything other than creating more new useless elements?
 
We could have fun and make names for the “new element” :whacky:

PS: Keep it civil.
 
It will be fun to write the electron configuration of that atom 🙂

Yup, you are correct that it cannot be found in nature. The strong nuclear force is not able to hold atoms with that many protons.

I do not see any practical applications for elements with an atomic number greater than 96.
 
Philothea_2.0 said:
I was always fascinated by this in high school chemistry (circa 1997, so I’m sure there’re a few more elements now than there were then).

I get that there’s a definition of an element, and these really unstable, unsustainable atoms fit the bill. But if it’s not found in nature and can’t last more than a thousandth of a second, WHY does it deserve a place on the periodic table? It’s not like you’ll ever run into it on your own and need to identify it.

It all seems like an excuse to spend massive amounts of grant money and get international recognition for chemistry geeks. Do we actually USE any of the manmade elements for anything other than creating more new useless elements?
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You bet we use man-made elements. Ever heard of Plutonium? Aside from it’s horrific use in nuclear weapons, it is commonly used in nuclear reactors to provide huge amounts of power. As far as the others, by examining these extremely complex elements, we learn a tremendous amount about the inner workings of the atom and sub–atomic structures, such as quarks. These experiments are almost as important for uncovering scientific laws of the universe as those done in super-colliders. The problem with the experiments though, is that they provide few tangible benefits for the average American, beyond greatly improved scientific knowledge. Like the space program, the value is often in the spin-off industries that are created. (For example, without the space program, we would not have microwave ovens, velcro, many different composite materials, portable computers, and of course, TANG!) 😛
 
And scientists hope to reach an “island of stability”.

With lots and lots of neutrons, these elements could become stable again…and have potentially VERY interesting uses.
 
Rolltide said:
You bet we use man-made elements. Ever heard of Plutonium? Aside from it’s horrific use in nuclear weapons, it is commonly used in nuclear reactors to provide huge amounts of power. As far as the others, by examining these extremely complex elements, we learn a tremendous amount about the inner workings of the atom and sub–atomic structures, such as quarks. These experiments are almost as important for uncovering scientific laws of the universe as those done in super-colliders. The problem with the experiments though, is that they provide few tangible benefits for the average American, beyond greatly improved scientific knowledge. Like the space program, the value is often in the spin-off industries that are created. (For example, without the space program, we would not have microwave ovens, velcro, many different composite materials, portable computers, and of course, TANG!) 😛
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Well, Plutonium is somewhat stable… it does not immediately decay.
 
Actually, referring to these elements as “man-made” is a little misleading. Theoretically they can be made in the heat and pressure of a supernova explosion (where in our universe all elements heavier than iron are made). Their instability explains why they are not observed in nature.

DaveBj
 
Struggling said:
And scientists hope to reach an “island of stability”.

With lots and lots of neutrons, these elements could become stable again…and have potentially VERY interesting uses.
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Like what? Like I said, I find this fascinating.
 
Rolltide said:
You bet we use man-made elements. Ever heard of Plutonium?..
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Actually, plutonium can and does occur naturally. It has been observed in the spectra of supernovae remnents. However, it is too unstable for any of the naturally occuring plutonium on Earth. With a half-life of 24,100 years, in just 1 million years 1 pound of plutonium would have decayed and left only 7.3 x 10^-12 (or .00000000000073) ounces.

So while does occur natually, everything that we have is manufactured.
 
Rolltide said:
(For example, without the space program, we would not have microwave ovens, velcro, many different composite materials, portable computers, and of course, TANG!) 😛
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Tang is the single greatest achievement of man. Followed closely by the chocolate malt.
 
WanderAimlessly said:
We could have fun and make names for the “new element” :whacky:

PS: Keep it civil.
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Lehrerium, in honor of Tom Leherer who composed The Elements, the last two lines of which go:

These are the only ones of which the news has come to Hahvard,
And there may be many others but they haven’t been discahvered.He may have just been playing around setting the periodic table to music but it turns out he was right.
 
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