Copernicium (Cn)

General Information

• Symbol: Cn
• Atomic Number: 112
• Atomic Weight: [285] u (most stable isotope)
• Element Category: Transition metal
• Group: 12
• Period: 7
• Block: d-block

Physical Properties

• Appearance: Unknown; predicted to be metallic and silvery
• Density: Estimated around 23.7 g/cm³
• Melting Point: Unknown
• Boiling Point: Unknown; predicted around 357 °C (similar to mercury)
• Phase at STP: Solid (predicted)
• Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s²
• Oxidation States: +2, +4 (predicted)

Chemical Properties

• Reactivity: Copernicium is expected to exhibit chemical properties similar to those of mercury, cadmium, and zinc. It may form stable +2 oxidation state compounds.
• Compounds: Potential compounds include copernicium(II) fluoride (CnF₂) and copernicium(II) chloride (CnCl₂).

Uses and Applications

• Scientific Research: Primarily used in scientific research to study the properties of superheavy elements. Due to its short half-life and radioactivity, copernicium has no commercial applications.

Occurrence and Extraction

• Natural Occurrence: Copernicium does not occur naturally. It is a synthetic element.
• Extraction: Produced artificially in particle accelerators by bombarding lighter elements, such as zinc, with heavy ions like lead.

Isotopes

• Stable Isotopes: Copernicium has no stable isotopes.
• Radioactive Isotopes: Several radioactive isotopes, including Copernicium-285 with a half-life of about 29 seconds, Copernicium-284 with a half-life of about 0.1 seconds, and Copernicium-283 with a half-life of about 4 seconds.

Safety and Handling

• Hazards: Copernicium is highly radioactive and poses significant health risks due to its intense radioactivity. It requires specialized handling.
• Precautions: Handle with extreme caution using specialized protective equipment and facilities designed to contain radioactivity. Copernicium is typically handled in very small amounts under controlled conditions in research laboratories.

History

• Discovery: Discovered by a team at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI) in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1996.
• Name Origin: Named in honor of Nicolaus Copernicus, the Renaissance astronomer who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at its center.

Additional Facts

• Crystal Structure: Unknown
• Magnetic Properties: Unknown
• Thermal Conductivity: Unknown
• Electrical Resistivity: Unknown

Summary

Copernicium is a synthetic, highly radioactive transition metal with no commercial applications. It is primarily used in scientific research to study the properties of superheavy elements. Discovered in 1996, it is named after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. Copernicium does not occur naturally and is produced in particle accelerators by bombarding lighter elements with heavy ions. Due to its radioactivity and short half-life, it requires specialized handling and is studied in controlled laboratory environments.

40 Question and Answer Pairs About Copernicium

1. What is the atomic number of Copernicium?

   • 112

2. What is the symbol for Copernicium?

   • Cn

3. What is the atomic weight of Copernicium?

   • [285] u (most stable isotope)

4. In which group of the periodic table is Copernicium found?

   • Group 12

5. What period is Copernicium in?

   • Period 7

6. What block does Copernicium belong to?

   • d-block

7. What is the estimated density of Copernicium?

   • Around 23.7 g/cm³

8. What is the melting point of Copernicium?

   • Unknown

9. What is the boiling point of Copernicium?

   • Predicted around 357 °C (similar to mercury)

10. What is the electron configuration of Copernicium?

    • [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s²

11. What are the common oxidation states of Copernicium?

    • +2, +4 (predicted)

12. What is the appearance of Copernicium?

    • Unknown; predicted to be metallic and silvery

13. Is Copernicium reactive with air?

    • Predicted to be similar to mercury, forming stable +2 oxidation state compounds.

14. Name a predicted compound of Copernicium.

    • Copernicium(II) chloride (CnCl₂)

15. What is a common use of Copernicium in scientific research?

    • To study the properties of superheavy elements.

16. How is Copernicium used in particle accelerators?

    • Produced by bombarding lighter elements with heavy ions.

17. What role does Copernicium play in commercial applications?

    • It has no commercial applications due to its short half-life and radioactivity.

18. How is Copernicium found in nature?

    • It does not occur naturally; it is a synthetic element.

19. How is Copernicium typically produced?

    • By bombarding lighter elements with heavy ions in particle accelerators.

20. What is the most stable isotope of Copernicium?

    • Copernicium-285

21. What is the half-life of Copernicium-285?

    • About 29 seconds

22. What safety hazard is associated with Copernicium?

    • It is highly radioactive and poses significant health risks.

23. Who discovered Copernicium?

    • Discovered by a team at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI) in Germany.

24. Where does the name Copernicium come from?

    • Named in honor of Nicolaus Copernicus.

25. What is the crystal structure of Copernicium?

    • Unknown

26. Is Copernicium paramagnetic or diamagnetic?

    • Unknown

27. What is the thermal conductivity of Copernicium?

    • Unknown

28. What is the electrical resistivity of Copernicium?

    • Unknown

29. What is the primary oxidation state of Copernicium?

    • +2 (predicted)

30. Is Copernicium found as a free element in nature?

    • No, it is a synthetic element.

31. What is the common name of Copernicium(II) fluoride?

    • CnF₂

32. What is a major application of Copernicium in scientific research?

    • To study the properties of superheavy elements.

33. How does Copernicium benefit spectroscopic studies?

    • Its heavy atomic weight helps in studying atomic interactions and properties.

34. What is the boiling point of Copernicium in Kelvin?

    • Predicted around 630 K

35. What group does Copernicium belong to in the periodic table?

    • Transition metals (Group 12)

36. What is the natural abundance of Copernicium-285?

    • It is a synthetic isotope with no natural abundance.

37. Can Copernicium be used in high-temperature applications?

    • No, due to its radioactivity and short half-life.

38. What is the key property that makes Copernicium valuable in scientific research?

    • Its position as a superheavy element.

39. How is Copernicium used in radiation research?

    • As a source of alpha particles in experiments.

40. What precautions should be taken when handling Copernicium?

    • Use specialized protective equipment and facilities to contain radioactivity.