New Delhi:
The inorganic chemistry division of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has added four new elements to the periodic table. After much deliberation the outfit has announced the proposed names of the new elements. You would be surprised by the names that have been chosen for the periodic table. The new names for the four superheavy, radioactive elements will replace the seventh row’s uninspired placeholders of ununtrium, ununpentium, ununseptium and ununoctium.
Since the new names had to follow Iupac rules and this is also only second time that an element has been named for a living scientist. Its Nihonium, named after Japan, with an atomic number of 113 and its symbol is Nh. Then there is Moscovium (Mc), element 115, named after the Russian capital city. Thirdly, Tennessine (Ts), atomic number 117, named after the state of Tennessee.
And finally, 118 is Oganesson (Og), which bears the name of Russian physicist Yuri Oganessian, who led several elemental discoveries.
Every element is given an atomic number, according to number of protons in its nucleus. These four new elements have 113, 115, 117, and 118 protons respectively. Atoms with that many protons are too unstable to exist in nature.
The discovery of these elements is important for scientists across the world chasing the elusive goal of reaching what is called “island of stability”. The concept of the “island of stability” was originally proposed in the 1960s and predicts increased stability for superheavy nuclei at higher neutron and proton numbers.
The periodic table shows us all the elements that make up our world in the order of their atomic number, electron configurations and chemical properties.
Besides, the temporary names will undergo a statutory period for public review before the names and symbols can be finally approved by the IUPAC Council, later this year.
