Tennessine - Periodic Table of Videos

TL;DR

Element 117, Tennessine, was synthesized at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and its chemistry and appearance are still largely speculative due to its rarity.

Transcript

There may be a slight argument about how you pronounce the name of element 117. I would pronounce it "TEN-e-seen," like iodine and chlorine, but some people in America say "CHLOR-eyen" and "I-o-dyne." But my feeling is that everybody will say "TEN-e-seen" because it sounds just like the state of Tennessee, whereas "TEN-e-syne" doesn't. The reason w... Read More

Key Insights

• 📛 Tennessine was named after Tennessee due to the association with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
• 🫢 The appearance of Tennessine is unknown, but it is speculated to be a black gas.
• 🫀 Due to the experimental process, only single atoms of Tennessine are created at a time, hindering the study of its chemistry.
• 🫀 Tennessine 2, a diatomic molecule, cannot be studied due to the limitation of single-atom creation.
• 🪜 Speculation about compounds involving Tennessine, such as "francium tennesside," adds to the fascination around its chemistry.
• 🔮 The unique properties and flexibility of potential francium tennesside crystals make them intriguing, despite the challenges posed by radioactivity.
• 🍉 Liquid fluorine, though darker than expected, is impressive in terms of its reactivity and stability.

Questions & Answers

Q: How was Tennessine synthesized, and why was it named after Tennessee?

Tennessine was synthesized by accelerating calcium-48 into berkelium at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It was named after Tennessee because the berkelium used in the process was prepared there.

Q: What is the speculation about the appearance of Tennessine?

The appearance of Tennessine is unknown, but it is speculated to be a black gas due to its position in Group 17 of the periodic table.

Q: Why can't scientists study diatomic molecules of Tennessine?

Scientists can only create single atoms of Tennessine at a time, which prevents the formation and study of diatomic molecules like Tennessine 2.

Q: What compound is speculated to have unique properties involving Tennessine?

"Francium tennesside" is speculated to be a compound involving Tennessine and francium, potentially forming flexible crystals that can be used for springs.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Element 117, Tennessine, was named after Tennessee because the berkelium used to synthesize it was prepared at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

• Tennessine's chemistry and appearance are unknown, but it is speculated to be a black gas and potentially form compounds like "francium tennesside" with unique properties.

• Due to the experimental process, only single atoms of Tennessine are created, preventing the study of diatomic molecules like Tennessine 2.