Once upon a time there were some lonely lead atoms in Germany. Then, in February of 1996 some scientists saw that the lead atoms were lonely and decided to introduce them to some friendly zinc atoms. So they loaded up the particle accelerator and played nuclear matchmaker. Much to the scientists delight, the lonely lead atoms and the friendly zinc atoms got along really well. So well in fact that their nuclei combined together to make the very first atoms of brand spanking new baby element, number 112. Baby 112 didn't last very long, only fractions of a second, but it's birth meant the world had yet another new element to name.
And nearly 14 years later little element 112 was still unnamed. Relegated to the temporary name of "ununbium" and confusing symbol of Uub. And now, finally, little 112 has a name! I would like to introduce you to Copernicium!! Named after Nicolaus Copernicus, on February 19, 2010 the IUPAC finally agreed on the name and symbol (Cn because Cp was too easily confused with other scienc-ey symbols).
So let us all welcome yet another element about which high school students will ask "what it is?" and we will say "it the element fill-in-the-blank" and they will say "no, I mean what is it?" and we will say "it is an element that only lasts for few seconds, it isn't anything you have seen or anything" and they will say "then why do we have to know about it?" and we will sigh, and try to remember why we thought it would be fun to be a science teacher.....
Want to find out more?
Element 112 is Named Copernicium (official IUPAC News Brief)
Element 112 Gets a "Planetary" Namesake
No comments:
Post a Comment