Physicists may now have a way to make element 120
Physicists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory synthesized livermorium by colliding titanium and plutonium atoms, paving the way for creating element 120. This breakthrough enhances understanding of nuclear stability and exotic element formation.
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Physicists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have successfully created the super-heavy element livermorium, offering a potential pathway to synthesizing element 120, the heaviest element in the periodic table. By colliding titanium atoms with plutonium, researchers were able to produce two atoms of livermorium, demonstrating the feasibility of using a titanium beam to create element 120. This breakthrough experiment, presented at the Nuclear Structure 2024 conference, has significant implications for understanding nuclear stability and the formation of exotic elements in the universe. The success with livermorium has boosted confidence in the possibility of creating element 120, also known as unbinilium, with plans to commence the experiment in 2025 using a californium target. This advancement marks a crucial step in expanding our knowledge of nuclear physics and the fundamental forces governing the universe.
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A New Way to Make Element 116 Opens the Door to Heavier Atoms
Scientists at Berkeley Lab created element 116 (livermorium) using a titanium beam, advancing towards making element 120 near the "island of stability." The successful experiment sets the stage for future superheavy element creation.
- Many commenters discuss the stability of superheavy elements and the conditions under which they might exist.
- There are questions about the practical applications of these new elements, with some expressing doubt about their usefulness.
- Several users reference the theoretical limits of the periodic table and the possibility of discovering more stable elements in the future.
- Some comments highlight the scientific interest in these experiments despite the fleeting existence of the elements produced.
- Humor and light-heartedness are present, with suggestions for fun names for new elements and references to popular culture.
21 comments"IUPAC defines an element to exist if its lifetime is longer than 10^−14 second, which is the time it takes for the atom to form an electron cloud.[7]"
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_stability
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superheavy_element
(Edit: this was intended in response to ssijak's question about the theoretical limits)
I would imagine in conditions of high heat, plasma, RF energy and pressure many things "exist" but I don't see that as quite the same. I guess if their spectral line emissions from stars says they are a continuum of existence then thats something, but I wondered if there were wierd islands of stability e.g. inside crystal lattices under pressure, or in solution in some wierd, non-plasma state. Absent an observer round that star we can't know but can we hypotheise physical states which would let it be?
https://englishatlc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/randall-m...
1. Are nuclear isomers a thing?
2. Corollary: Could it be the case that some nuclei are stable and others are unstable, even though they have the same numbers of protons and neutrons?
The difficulty here is that such a collision leaves the result very "hot", so it tends to decompose. This tendency is minimized by reducing the energy of the incoming ion, but that reduces the rate of fusion.
Needless to say, this doesn't present much in the way of practical benefit from producing some new science fictional material. It's purely of scientific interest.
besides learning about them briefly in chem classes as the "man made elements", haven't heard much from them otherwise
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Lithium's cosmic origins, discrepancy in universal amounts, historical discovery in the 18th century, medical uses for gout and urinary stones, and multifaceted nature are explored, highlighting its significance in various fields.
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A New Way to Make Element 116 Opens the Door to Heavier Atoms
Scientists at Berkeley Lab created element 116 (livermorium) using a titanium beam, advancing towards making element 120 near the "island of stability." The successful experiment sets the stage for future superheavy element creation.