Tennessine (Ts)

General Information

• Symbol: Ts
• Atomic Number: 117
• Atomic Weight: [294] u (most stable isotope)
• Element Category: Halogen (postulated)
• Group: 17
• Period: 7
• Block: p-block

Physical Properties

• Appearance: Unknown; predicted to be metallic and possibly dark or black
• Density: Estimated around 7.2 g/cm³
• Melting Point: Unknown; predicted around 350-550°C (662-1022°F)
• Boiling Point: Unknown; predicted around 610°C (1130°F)
• Phase at STP: Solid (predicted)
• Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p⁵
• Oxidation States: +1, +3, +5 (predicted)

Chemical Properties

• Reactivity: Tennessine is expected to exhibit chemical properties similar to those of astatine and iodine. It may form stable +1, +3, and +5 oxidation state compounds.
• Compounds: Potential compounds include tennessine(I) chloride (TsCl) and tennessine(III) chloride (TsCl₃).

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, tennessine has no commercial applications.

Occurrence and Extraction

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

Isotopes

• Stable Isotopes: Tennessine has no stable isotopes.
• Radioactive Isotopes: Several radioactive isotopes, including Tennessine-294 with a half-life of about 20 milliseconds, Tennessine-293 with a half-life of about 14 milliseconds, and Tennessine-292 with a half-life of about 5 milliseconds.

Safety and Handling

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

History

• Discovery: Discovered by a collaboration between the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee, USA, in 2010.
• Name Origin: Named after the state of Tennessee, USA, recognizing the contributions of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Vanderbilt University.

Additional Facts

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

Summary

Tennessine is a synthetic, highly radioactive halogen-like element with no commercial applications. It is primarily used in scientific research to study the properties of superheavy elements. Discovered in 2010 by a collaboration between Russia and the USA, it is named after the state of Tennessee. Tennessine 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 Tennessine

1. What is the atomic number of Tennessine?

   • 117

2. What is the symbol for Tennessine?

   • Ts

3. What is the atomic weight of Tennessine?

   • [294] u (most stable isotope)

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

   • Group 17

5. What period is Tennessine in?

   • Period 7

6. What block does Tennessine belong to?

   • p-block

7. What is the estimated density of Tennessine?

   • Around 7.2 g/cm³

8. What is the melting point of Tennessine?

   • Predicted to be around 350-550°C (662-1022°F)

9. What is the boiling point of Tennessine?

   • Predicted to be around 610°C (1130°F)

10. What is the electron configuration of Tennessine?

    • [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p⁵

11. What are the common oxidation states of Tennessine?

    • +1, +3, +5 (predicted)

12. What is the appearance of Tennessine?

    • Unknown; predicted to be metallic and possibly dark or black

13. Is Tennessine reactive with air?

    • Predicted to be similar to astatine, forming stable +1, +3, and +5 oxidation state compounds.

14. Name a predicted compound of Tennessine.

    • Tennessine(I) chloride (TsCl)

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

    • To study the properties of superheavy elements.

16. How is Tennessine used in particle accelerators?

    • Produced by bombarding lighter elements with heavy ions.

17. What role does Tennessine play in commercial applications?

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

18. How is Tennessine found in nature?

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

19. How is Tennessine typically produced?

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

20. What is the most stable isotope of Tennessine?

    • Tennessine-294

21. What is the half-life of Tennessine-294?

    • About 20 milliseconds

22. What safety hazard is associated with Tennessine?

    • It is highly radioactive and poses significant health risks.

23. Who discovered Tennessine?

    • Discovered by a collaboration between JINR in Russia and ORNL in the USA.

24. Where does the name Tennessine come from?

    • Named after the state of Tennessee, USA.

25. What is the crystal structure of Tennessine?

    • Unknown

26. Is Tennessine paramagnetic or diamagnetic?

    • Unknown

27. What is the thermal conductivity of Tennessine?

    • Unknown

28. What is the electrical resistivity of Tennessine?

    • Unknown

29. What is the primary oxidation state of Tennessine?

    • +5 (predicted)

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

    • No, it is a synthetic element.

31. What is the common name of Tennessine(III) chloride?

    • TsCl₃

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

    • To study the properties of superheavy elements.

33. How does Tennessine benefit spectroscopic studies?

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

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

    • Predicted around 883 K

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

    • Halogens (Group 17)

36. What is the natural abundance of Tennessine-294?

    • It is a synthetic isotope with no natural abundance.

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

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

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

    • Its position as a superheavy element.

39. How is Tennessine used in radiation research?

    • As a source of alpha particles in experiments.

40. What precautions should be taken when handling Tennessine?

    • Use specialized protective equipment and facilities to contain radioactivity.