Darmstadtium (Ds)

General Information

• Symbol: Ds
• Atomic Number: 110
• Atomic Weight: [281] u (most stable isotope)
• Element Category: Transition metal
• Group: 10
• Period: 7
• Block: d-block

Physical Properties

• Appearance: Unknown; predicted to be metallic and silvery
• Density: Estimated around 34.8 g/cm³
• Melting Point: Unknown
• Boiling Point: Unknown
• Phase at STP: Solid (predicted)
• Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d⁹ 7s¹
• Oxidation States: +6, +4, +2, +0 (predicted)

Chemical Properties

• Reactivity: Darmstadtium is expected to exhibit chemical properties similar to those of platinum and palladium. It is predicted to form stable +4 and +2 oxidation state compounds.
• Compounds: Potential compounds include darmstadtium(IV) oxide (DsO₂) and darmstadtium(IV) chloride (DsCl₄).

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, darmstadtium has no commercial applications.

Occurrence and Extraction

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

Isotopes

• Stable Isotopes: Darmstadtium has no stable isotopes.
• Radioactive Isotopes: Several radioactive isotopes, including Darmstadtium-281 with a half-life of about 20 seconds, Darmstadtium-280 with a half-life of about 7.6 seconds, and Darmstadtium-279 with a half-life of about 0.18 seconds.

Safety and Handling

• Hazards: Darmstadtium 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. Darmstadtium is typically handled in very small amounts under controlled conditions in research laboratories.

History

• Discovery: Discovered by a team at the Institute for Heavy Ion Research (GSI) in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1994.
• Name Origin: Named after the city of Darmstadt, Germany, where it was first synthesized.

Additional Facts

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

Summary

Darmstadtium 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 1994, it is named after the city of Darmstadt in Germany. Darmstadtium 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 Darmstadtium

1. What is the atomic number of Darmstadtium?

   • 110

2. What is the symbol for Darmstadtium?

   • Ds

3. What is the atomic weight of Darmstadtium?

   • [281] u (most stable isotope)

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

   • Group 10

5. What period is Darmstadtium in?

   • Period 7

6. What block does Darmstadtium belong to?

   • d-block

7. What is the estimated density of Darmstadtium?

   • Around 34.8 g/cm³

8. What is the melting point of Darmstadtium?

   • Unknown

9. What is the boiling point of Darmstadtium?

   • Unknown

10. What is the electron configuration of Darmstadtium?

    • [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d⁹ 7s¹

11. What are the common oxidation states of Darmstadtium?

    • +6, +4, +2, +0 (predicted)

12. What is the appearance of Darmstadtium?

    • Unknown; predicted to be metallic and silvery

13. Is Darmstadtium reactive with air?

    • Predicted to be similar to platinum, forming stable +4 and +2 oxidation state compounds.

14. Name a predicted compound of Darmstadtium.

    • Darmstadtium(IV) chloride (DsCl₄)

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

    • To study the properties of superheavy elements.

16. How is Darmstadtium used in particle accelerators?

    • Produced by bombarding lighter elements with heavy ions.

17. What role does Darmstadtium play in commercial applications?

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

18. How is Darmstadtium found in nature?

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

19. How is Darmstadtium typically produced?

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

20. What is the most stable isotope of Darmstadtium?

    • Darmstadtium-281

21. What is the half-life of Darmstadtium-281?

    • About 20 seconds

22. What safety hazard is associated with Darmstadtium?

    • It is highly radioactive and poses significant health risks.

23. Who discovered Darmstadtium?

    • Discovered by a team at the Institute for Heavy Ion Research (GSI) in Germany.

24. Where does the name Darmstadtium come from?

    • Named after the city of Darmstadt, Germany.

25. What is the crystal structure of Darmstadtium?

    • Unknown

26. Is Darmstadtium paramagnetic or diamagnetic?

    • Unknown

27. What is the thermal conductivity of Darmstadtium?

    • Unknown

28. What is the electrical resistivity of Darmstadtium?

    • Unknown

29. What is the primary oxidation state of Darmstadtium?

    • +4 (predicted)

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

    • No, it is a synthetic element.

31. What is the common name of Darmstadtium(IV) oxide?

    • DsO₂

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

    • To study the properties of superheavy elements.

33. How does Darmstadtium benefit spectroscopic studies?

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

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

    • Unknown

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

    • Transition metals (Group 10)

36. What is the natural abundance of Darmstadtium-281?

    • It is a synthetic isotope with no natural abundance.

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

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

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

    • Its position as a superheavy element.

39. How is Darmstadtium used in radiation research?

    • As a source of alpha particles in experiments.

40. What precautions should be taken when handling Darmstadtium?

    • Use specialized protective equipment and facilities to contain radioactivity.