MadSci Network: Science History
Query:

Subject: What are the actual names of the elements 101 and beyond?

Date: Mon Jun 19 22:51:12 2000
Posted by Adam
Grade level: 10-12 School: No school entered.
City: No city entered. State/Province: No state entered. Country: No country entered.
Area of science: Science History
ID: 961469472.Sh
Message:

I am wondering what the "official" names of elements 101 and beyond are.  If I 
recall, most, if not all, had battles over who would get to name 
them what.  In the answer, I would appreciate it if you would list both the 
official name, and the other name that the major dissenting party 
offered.  Thank you.

You previously referred me to the sites http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/
and http://www.webelements.com/, which do not answer my question.  There are 
names
here, but alternate names are mentioned (such as Rutherfordium/Kurchatovium,
element 104).  Also, part of my question was to explain the history behind
the naming.  It says that element 107 is Bohrium, but formerly Neilsbohrium.
What is the story behind that?  And, in an earlier posting on the Mad
Scientist network, a researcher says that in naming element 106 "calmer heads
prevailed" over whether or not to name it after a living person (Seaborg).
Yet, http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/elements/106.html claims that "Neither
the Dubna team nor the Berkeley-Livermore Group has proposed a name as of yet
for element 106 (unnilhexium)."  I am totally confused, if they haven't
proposed a name, then where did Seaborgium come from?  I am further unclear
on the roots of the word Meitnerium.  I had located this site prior to
sending your organization an question.  I sent you that question because this
site is clearly outdated.  URL http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/elements/112.ht
ml states "This element has the atomic number 112 and is currently the
heaviest element ever produced by man."  However, that is a blatantly untrue
statement, as in January 1999, a team of scientists based at the Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory in California and the Joint Institute for Nuclear 
Research in Dubna, Russia, announced the creation of the world's
newest and heaviest element, element 114.  It is claimed to be much more
stable than other superheavy atoms, and resulted from the bombardment of a
neutron-enriched plutonium isotope by a calcium isotope.  After seeing this,
I was forced to conclude that the pearl1.lanl.gov site was out of date and I
turned to you for assistance.





Response:


Re: What are the actual names of the elements 101 and beyond?
I am wondering what the 


Re: What are the actual names of the elements 101 and beyond?

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