Meitnerium (Mt)

General Information

• Symbol: Mt
• Atomic Number: 109
• Atomic Weight: [278] u (most stable isotope)
• Element Category: Transition metal
• Group: 9
• Period: 7
• Block: d-block

Physical Properties

• Appearance: Unknown; predicted to be metallic and silvery
• Density: Estimated around 37.4 g/cm³
• Melting Point: Unknown
• Boiling Point: Unknown
• Phase at STP: Solid (predicted)
• Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d⁷ 7s²
• Oxidation States: +3, +1 (predicted)

Chemical Properties

• Reactivity: Meitnerium is expected to exhibit chemical properties similar to those of iridium. It is predicted to form stable +3 oxidation state compounds.
• Compounds: Potential compounds include meitnerium(III) oxide (Mt₂O₃) and meitnerium(III) chloride (MtCl₃).

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, meitnerium has no commercial applications.

Occurrence and Extraction

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

Isotopes

• Stable Isotopes: Meitnerium has no stable isotopes.
• Radioactive Isotopes: Several radioactive isotopes, including Meitnerium-278 with a half-life of about 8 seconds, Meitnerium-276 with a half-life of about 0.72 seconds, and Meitnerium-275 with a half-life of about 0.44 seconds.

Safety and Handling

• Hazards: Meitnerium 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. Meitnerium 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 1982.
• Name Origin: Named in honor of physicist Lise Meitner, who contributed significantly to the discovery of nuclear fission.

Additional Facts

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

Summary

Meitnerium 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 1982, it is named after physicist Lise Meitner. Meitnerium 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 Meitnerium

1. What is the atomic number of Meitnerium?

   • 109

2. What is the symbol for Meitnerium?

   • Mt

3. What is the atomic weight of Meitnerium?

   • [278] u (most stable isotope)

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

   • Group 9

5. What period is Meitnerium in?

   • Period 7

6. What block does Meitnerium belong to?

   • d-block

7. What is the estimated density of Meitnerium?

   • Around 37.4 g/cm³

8. What is the melting point of Meitnerium?

   • Unknown

9. What is the boiling point of Meitnerium?

   • Unknown

10. What is the electron configuration of Meitnerium?

    • [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d⁷ 7s²

11. What are the common oxidation states of Meitnerium?

    • +3, +1 (predicted)

12. What is the appearance of Meitnerium?

    • Unknown; predicted to be metallic and silvery

13. Is Meitnerium reactive with air?

    • Predicted to be similar to iridium, forming stable +3 oxidation state compounds.

14. Name a predicted compound of Meitnerium.

    • Meitnerium(III) chloride (MtCl₃)

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

    • To study the properties of superheavy elements.

16. How is Meitnerium used in particle accelerators?

    • Produced by bombarding lighter elements with heavy ions.

17. What role does Meitnerium play in commercial applications?

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

18. How is Meitnerium found in nature?

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

19. How is Meitnerium typically produced?

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

20. What is the most stable isotope of Meitnerium?

    • Meitnerium-278

21. What is the half-life of Meitnerium-278?

    • About 8 seconds

22. What safety hazard is associated with Meitnerium?

    • It is highly radioactive and poses significant health risks.

23. Who discovered Meitnerium?

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

24. Where does the name Meitnerium come from?

    • Named in honor of physicist Lise Meitner.

25. What is the crystal structure of Meitnerium?

    • Unknown

26. Is Meitnerium paramagnetic or diamagnetic?

    • Unknown

27. What is the thermal conductivity of Meitnerium?

    • Unknown

28. What is the electrical resistivity of Meitnerium?

    • Unknown

29. What is the primary oxidation state of Meitnerium?

    • +3

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

    • No, it is a synthetic element.

31. What is the common name of Meitnerium(III) oxide?

    • Mt₂O₃

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

    • To study the properties of superheavy elements.

33. How does Meitnerium benefit spectroscopic studies?

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

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

    • Unknown

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

    • Transition metals (Group 9)

36. What is the natural abundance of Meitnerium-278?

    • It is a synthetic isotope with no natural abundance.

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

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

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

    • Its position as a superheavy element.

39. How is Meitnerium used in radiation research?

    • As a source of alpha particles in experiments.

40. What precautions should be taken when handling Meitnerium?

    • Use specialized protective equipment and facilities to contain radioactivity.