What is Nihonium?
Nihonium (pronounced Nee-HOH-nee-um) is a fascinating chemical element that does not occur naturally anywhere on Earth. It is classified as a synthetic, or man-made, element. This means that scientists had to create it in specialized laboratories by combining smaller atoms. Its atomic number is 113, placing it among the superheavy elements in the periodic table. Elements like Nihonium are incredibly unstable and typically exist for only a tiny fraction of a second before transforming into other elements.
The Journey of its Discovery
The first successful creation of Nihonium was accomplished by a dedicated team of scientists at the RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science in Japan. This significant scientific achievement occurred in 2003, with further confirmatory experiments conducted in subsequent years. The researchers used a powerful particle accelerator to bombard a target made of bismuth atoms with a beam of zinc atoms. In rare instances, this high-energy collision caused the nuclei of the two different atoms to fuse together, briefly forming an atom of element 113. Identifying these extremely short-lived atoms requires highly advanced scientific instruments and detailed analysis.
Meaning Behind the Name
The name “Nihonium” was proposed by its discoverers to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and officially recognized in 2016. “Nihon” is one of the Japanese words for Japan, and it is often translated as “the land of the rising sun.” Therefore, the name Nihonium serves to honor Japan, the nation where this remarkable element was first brought into existence through scientific endeavor. It is a tradition in chemistry to name elements after places, notable scientists, or figures from mythology.
Five Quick Facts About Nihonium
- Atomic Number: 113. This number indicates that each atom of Nihonium contains 113 protons in its nucleus.
- Chemical Symbol: Nh.
- Synthetic Origin: It is exclusively a man-made element and has never been found to exist in natural environments.
- Extreme Radioactivity: All known isotopes of Nihonium are highly unstable and undergo rapid radioactive decay, with half-lives measured in milliseconds. This extreme instability prevents any practical study of its bulk properties.
- Periodic Table Position: Nihonium is situated in Group 13 and Period 7 of the periodic table, classifying it as a p-block element and placing it directly below thallium.