The Smelliest Element - Livermorium - Periodic Table of Videos

TL;DR

Livermorium, named after Livermore, has short half-lives, is possibly the smelliest element, and is significant in the periodic table.

Transcript

• So Livermorium was first made in around 2000. It was made in calcium-48 plus curium-248 reaction. We've since made 4 different isotopes of Livermorium. They all have tens of milliseconds half-lives, so they're pretty short-lived. So unfortunately I can't show you a bottle. It was a very interesting process to name these elements when we got permi... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🔬 Livermorium was named to honor the city, institution, and scientists involved in its discovery.
• 👥 Livermorium is predicted to be one of the smelliest elements in the periodic table due to its group 16 characteristics.
• 🛀 The Livermore community has embraced and celebrated Livermorium, showing support and recognition for its significance.
• 💁 Livermorium's short half-lives make it challenging to isolate and study in a pure form.
• 🌍 The naming process for Livermorium involved collaborations and consensus-building with international scientific colleagues.
• ❣️ Livermorium's unique properties and naming process reflect the complexity and significance of heavy element research.
• 🤽 The mayor of Livermore, a water chemist, played a role in understanding and supporting the naming of Livermorium.

Questions & Answers

Q: How was Livermorium first made, and what are its isotopes' characteristics?

Livermorium was created through a calcium-48 plus curium-248 reaction, with isotopes having short half-lives in the milliseconds range, making them short-lived and challenging to handle in pure form.

Q: Why was Livermorium chosen as the name for element 116?

Livermorium was selected to honor the numerous scientists at Livermore involved in heavy element research, with the name reflecting the institution, city, and collective effort of the scientific community.

Q: How has the community of Livermore reacted to the naming of Livermorium?

The Livermore community has shown outstanding support and enthusiasm for Livermorium, with initiatives like Livermorium Day and Livermorium Plaza honoring the element and its significance to the city and scientific literacy.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Livermorium, an element first made in 2000, has short half-lives of milliseconds.

• The naming process involved considerations for honoring scientists and the city of Livermore.

• Livermorium is predicted to be one of the smelliest elements due to its group 16 placement.