Rutherfordium

Rutherfordium
Rutherfordium block | Image: Learnool

Rutherfordium (Rf) is a chemical element of the periodic table, located in the group 4 and the period 7, and has the atomic number 104. It is a silvery-white transition metal, which is named after British physicist, Ernest Rutherford. It is a transuranium element and is counted as one of the radioactive elements.

On periodic table

group 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
period
1 1
H
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Hydrogen
2
He
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Helium
2 3
Li
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Lithium
4
Be
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Beryllium
5
B
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Boron
6
C
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Carbon
7
N
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Nitrogen
8
O
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Oxygen
9
F
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Fluorine
10
Ne
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Neon
3 11
Na
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Sodium
12
Mg
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Magnesium
13
Al
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Aluminium
14
Si
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Silicon
15
P
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Phosphorus
16
S
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Sulfur
17
Cl
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Chlorine
18
Ar
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Argon
4 19
K
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Potassium
20
Ca
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Calcium
21
Sc
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Scandium
22
Ti
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Titanium
23
V
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Vanadium
24
Cr
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Chromium
25
Mn
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Manganese
26
Fe
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Iron
27
Co
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Cobalt
28
Ni
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Nickel
29
Cu
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Copper
30
Zn
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Zinc
31
Ga
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Gallium
32
Ge
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Germanium
33
As
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Arsenic
34
Se
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Selenium
35
Br
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Bromine
36
Kr
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Krypton
5 37
Rb
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Rubidium
38
Sr
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Strontium
39
Y
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Yttrium
40
Zr
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Zirconium
41
Nb
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Niobium
42
Mo
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Molybdenum
43
Tc
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Technetium
44
Ru
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Ruthenium
45
Rh
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Rhodium
46
Pd
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Palladium
47
Ag
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Silver
48
Cd
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Cadmium
49
In
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Indium
50
Sn
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Tin
51
Sb
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Antimony
52
Te
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Tellurium
53
I
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Iodine
54
Xe
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Xenon
6 55
Cs
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Caesium
56
Ba
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Barium
72
Hf
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Hafnium
73
Ta
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Tantalum
74
W
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Tungsten
75
Re
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Rhenium
76
Os
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Osmium
77
Ir
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Iridium
78
Pt
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Platinum
79
Au
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Gold
80
Hg
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Mercury
81
Tl
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Thallium
82
Pb
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Lead
83
Bi
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Bismuth
84
Po
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Polonium
85
At
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Astatine
86
Rn
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Radon
7 87
Fr
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Francium
88
Ra
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Radium
104
Rf
Rutherfordium
105
Db
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Dubnium
106
Sg
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Seaborgium
107
Bh
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Bohrium
108
Hs
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Hassium
109
Mt
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Meitnerium
110
Ds
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Darmstadtium
111
Rg
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Roentgenium
112
Cn
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Copernicium
113
Nh
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Nihonium
114
Fl
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Flerovium
115
Mc
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Moscovium
116
Lv
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Livermorium
117
Ts
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Tennessine
118
Og
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Oganesson
57
La
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Lanthanum
58
Ce
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Cerium
59
Pr
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Praseodymium
60
Nd
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Neodymium
61
Pm
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Promethium
62
Sm
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Samarium
63
Eu
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Europium
64
Gd
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Gadolinium
65
Tb
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Terbium
66
Dy
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Dysprosium
67
Ho
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Holmium
68
Er
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Erbium
69
Tm
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Thulium
70
Yb
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Ytterbium
71
Lu
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Lutetium
89
Ac
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Actinium
90
Th
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Thorium
91
Pa
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Protactinium
92
U
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Uranium
93
Np
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Neptunium
94
Pu
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Plutonium
95
Am
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Americium
96
Cm
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Curium
97
Bk
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Berkelium
98
Cf
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Californium
99
Es
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Einsteinium
100
Fm
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Fermium
101
Md
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Mendelevium
102
No
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Nobelium
103
Lr
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Lawrencium
– d block

Rutherfordium is a d-block element, situated in the fourth column and the seventh row of the periodic table, denoted by the atomic number 104 and chemical symbol Rf.

Element information

Rutherfordium Periodic Table
Rutherfordium location on periodic table | Image: Learnool
Rutherfordium is found in the fourth column of the periodic table below the hafnium element.
Origin of name named after British physicist, Ernest Rutherford
Symbol Rf
Atomic number (Z) 104
Atomic mass (261)
Block d-block
Group 4
Period 7
Classification Transition metal
Atomic radius 150 pm (estimated)
Covalent radius 157 pm (estimated)
Melting point 2100 ℃, 3800 ℉, 2400 K (predicted)
Boiling point 5500 ℃, 9900 ℉, 5800 K (predicted)
Electron configuration [Rn] 5f14 6d2 7s2
Learn how to write: Rutherfordium electron configuration
Electrons per shell 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 10, 2
Learn how to draw: Rutherfordium Bohr model
Crystal structure Hexagonal close-packed (hcp) (predicted)
Phase at r.t Solid (predicted)
Density near r.t 17 g/cm3 (predicted)
Natural occurrence Synthetic
Oxidation state +3 (predicted), +4
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons
104
157
104
CAS number 53850-36-5
Discovered at Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 1964-1969

History

Rutherfordium was first synthesized in 1964 by a joint team of Russian and American scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia, and at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) in California, USA.

The element was named after Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealand physicist who is known for his pioneering work in nuclear physics. Rutherford’s contributions to the field included the discovery of the atomic nucleus, the development of the first “artificial” nuclear reaction, and the concept of radioactive half-life.

The synthesis of rutherfordium was achieved by bombarding a target of plutonium-242 with accelerated nuclei of neon-22. The resulting reaction produced a few atoms of the new element, which were detected using a system of detectors and separators. The team at Dubna proposed the name “kurchatovium” for the new element, in honor of Igor Kurchatov, a Soviet physicist who was instrumental in the development of the Soviet atomic bomb. However, the American team at LBL suggested the name “rutherfordium” instead.

The discovery of rutherfordium was confirmed in 1969 by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, who produced additional atoms of the element using a different method. Since then, several other laboratories around the world have produced small quantities of rutherfordium using various methods.

Occurrence and production

Rutherfordium is a synthetic element that does not occur naturally on Earth, and is produced through the bombardment of other elements with high-energy particles in a nuclear reactor or particle accelerator.

The most common method for producing rutherfordium involves the use of a nuclear reactor to bombard a target material with neutrons. The target material used is usually a heavy metal such as plutonium-239 or uranium-238. When the neutrons collide with the target material, they cause the atoms to become unstable and undergo nuclear reactions. If the conditions are right, rutherfordium atoms may be produced as a result of these reactions.

Another method for producing rutherfordium involves the use of particle accelerators. In this method, beams of particles such as protons or alpha particles are directed at a target material. If the energy of the particles is high enough, they may be able to overcome the repulsive forces between the target material’s nucleus and the particle’s own nucleus, causing a nuclear reaction to occur that may produce rutherfordium atoms.

The production of rutherfordium is a complex and difficult process due to the element’s short half-life and the high levels of radiation involved in its production. As a result, only small amounts of rutherfordium have been produced, and its properties and behavior are not well-understood.

Properties

Rutherfordium is expected to be a solid metal at room temperature, with a silvery-white appearance. It is predicted to have a high melting point and boiling point, similar to those of hafnium and zirconium.

Rutherfordium is a highly reactive element and is expected to form compounds with oxygen, halogens, and other elements. It is predicted to be less reactive than its lighter homologues, hafnium and zirconium.

The electronegativity of rutherfordium is not well-established, but it is expected to be similar to that of other group 4 elements. Its electron configuration suggests that it may have a lower electronegativity than hafnium and zirconium.

Rutherfordium has no stable isotopes. Its most stable isotope, rutherfordium-267, has a half-life of about 1.3 hours. Several other isotopes have been identified, with half-lives ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Rutherfordium is a highly radioactive element, and its isotopes decay through various modes of radioactive decay, including alpha decay and spontaneous fission. The high levels of radiation emitted by rutherfordium make it difficult to study and handle.

Applications

Rutherfordium is a synthetic element that does not occur naturally on Earth. It has a very short half-life and is highly radioactive, which makes it difficult to study and handle. As a result, rutherfordium has no practical applications.

The properties of rutherfordium and its isotopes have been studied in depth for their contributions to the understanding of nuclear physics. Rutherfordium is a heavy element, and its behavior can provide insight into the behavior of other heavy elements and the mechanisms of nuclear reactions.

The study of rutherfordium and other transuranic elements has important implications for the management and disposal of nuclear waste. The behavior of these elements in nuclear reactors and their decay products can affect the safety and stability of nuclear waste storage facilities. It is crucial to understand the behavior of rutherfordium and other transuranic elements to improve the safety and security of nuclear waste storage.

Interesting facts

Rutherfordium is named after the physicist Ernest Rutherford, who is known for his contributions to the understanding of the structure of the atom and radioactivity. The name was officially recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) in 1997.

Rutherfordium was first synthesized by bombarding a target of californium-249 with high-energy neon ions. The resulting nuclear reaction produced three atoms of rutherfordium-257, which decayed into other isotopes within a matter of milliseconds.

Rutherfordium is highly unstable and has a very short half-life, which makes it difficult to study. Its most stable isotope, rutherfordium-267, has a half-life of only about 1.3 hours.

Rutherfordium is produced in very small quantities in nuclear reactors by bombarding heavy metal targets with neutrons. It is used mainly for scientific research and has no practical applications.

Rutherfordium’s properties and behavior have been studied in depth for their contributions to the understanding of nuclear physics. It is a heavy element, and its behavior can provide insight into the behavior of other heavy elements and the mechanisms of nuclear reactions.

Related

More elements

s block
p block
d block
f block
Barium Aluminium Bohrium Actinium
Beryllium Antimony Cadmium Americium
Caesium Argon Chromium Berkelium
Calcium Arsenic Cobalt Californium
Francium Astatine Copernicium Cerium
Helium Bismuth Copper Curium
Hydrogen Boron Darmstadtium Dysprosium
Lithium Bromine Dubnium Einsteinium
Magnesium Carbon Gold Erbium
Potassium Chlorine Hafnium Europium
Radium Flerovium Hassium Fermium
Rubidium Fluorine Iridium Gadolinium
Sodium Gallium Iron Holmium
Strontium Germanium Lawrencium Lanthanum
Indium Lutetium Mendelevium
Iodine Manganese Neodymium
Krypton Meitnerium Neptunium
Lead Mercury Nobelium
Livermorium Molybdenum Plutonium
Moscovium Nickel Praseodymium
Neon Niobium Promethium
Nihonium Osmium Protactinium
Nitrogen Palladium Samarium
Oganesson Platinum Terbium
Oxygen Rhenium Thorium
Phosphorus Rhodium Thulium
Polonium Roentgenium Uranium
Radon Ruthenium Ytterbium
Selenium Rutherfordium
Silicon Scandium
Sulfur Seaborgium
Tellurium Silver
Tennessine Tantalum
Thallium Technetium
Tin Titanium
Xenon Tungsten
Vanadium
Yttrium
Zinc
Zirconium

External links

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Learnool.com was founded by Deep Rana, who is a mechanical engineer by profession and a blogger by passion. He has a good conceptual knowledge on different educational topics and he provides the same on this website. He loves to learn something new everyday and believes that the best utilization of free time is developing a new skill.

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