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Becquerelium is the provisional non-systematic name of a theoretical element with the symbol Bq and atomic number 165. Becquerelium was named in honor of Henri Becquerel (1852–1908), who discovered radioactivity. This hypothetical element with atomic number 165 is known in the scientific literature as unhexpentium (Uhp), dvi-gold, or simply element 165. Becquerelium is the heaviest member of the copper family (below copper, silver, gold, and roentgenium) and is the ninth member of the kelvinide series; this hypothetical element is located in the periodic table coordinate 7d9.
Atomic properties[]
Becquerelium's nucleus is comprised of 165 protons and 316 neutrons, which corresponds to its nuclear ratio of 1.92. It also has 165 electrons in 9 energy levels and 25 orbitals. Due to extreme relativistic effects causing smearing of the orbitals, after just completed the d-orbital, the electron is filling in the s-orbital in the ninth and outermost shell as if skipping the p-orbital entirely. However, there are two electrons in the p-orbital that was last added 38 elements ago. The electrons are full in the p1/2 split orbital and empty in the p3/2 split orbital.
Isotopes[]
Like every other element heavier than lead, becquerelium has no stable isotopes. The longest-lived isotope is 481Bq with a brief half-life of 34.67 milliseconds. It undergoes spontaneous fission, splitting into three lighter nuclei plus neutrons like the following example.
Becquerelium has several meta states, such as 480m1Bq, which is the longest-lived meta state at 98 milliseconds, thrice as long as the aforementioned most stable isotope.
Chemical properties and compounds[]
Becquerelium is a reactive metal, like all of the alkali metals, because it needs to lose the only electron in its outermost orbital. In response, its main oxidation state is +1 (monovalent), but due to electrons in the 8p1/2 orbital participate in bonding due to the small spacing between the 8p1/2 and 9s orbitals, the +3 oxidation state (trivalent) is also common. Becquerelium(I) would behave like potassium or silver; becquerelium(III) would behave like thallium. Its electronegativity is 0.97 and the first ionization energy is 5.37 eV, similar in values to lithium, meaning becquerelium is just as chemically active as lithium. Becquerelium(I) forms solutions more easily than becquerelium(III). Becquerelium hydroxide (BqOH) forms when the metal reacts with water, and neutral salts of becquerelium would form when the metal reacts with acids, like becquerelium nitrate (BqNO3) obtained when becquerelium reacts with nitric acid.
Becquerelium can form numerous compounds. Becquerelium(I) hydroxide (BqOH) is a highly basic substance formed when becquerelium reacts vigorously with water. Becquerelium(I) nitrate (BqNO3) is an example of a salt when becquerelium neutralizes nitric acid. Becquerelium(I) oxide (Bq2O) is a red powder, formed when the metal exposes to the air for just a short time. Another oxide is becquerelium(III) oxide (Bq2O3), which is a white powder. Becquerelium(I) chloride (BqCl) is a pale orange ionic salt formed when this metal is heated and electrified with table salt (sodium chloride). BqCl can react with chlorine gas to give BqCl3, which is also a pale orange ionic salt like the former. Becquerelium(I) iodide (BqI) is a pale pink rhombohedral crystals. This metal can slowly react with pure nitrogen to form becquerelium(I) nitride (Bq3N), a green powder, or becquerelium(III) nitride (BqN), a greenish white powder. It also reacts vigorously with phosphorus to form becquerelium(III) phosphide, which is a lime green powder.
Physical properties[]
Due to its electron configuration with one electron occupying the outermost shell after the completed d-orbital, becquerelium is a lot more like an alkali metal than a member of the copper family. It is denser than any alkali metal but less denser than any other copper family element. The element's density is 7.38 g/cm3, while copper (the least dense member of the copper group other than this hypothetical element) is 8.96 g/cm3, while the above element roentgenium has a density of 28.5 g/cm3. Like silver and roentgenium, becquerelium is grayish white, but for this region of the periodic table in terms of atomic numbers, it is unusual as metals surrounding this hypothetical element are colored due to extreme quantum effects. Also like alkali metals, becquerelium is soft enough to be cut with a knife.
Becquerelium's melting point is expected to be just low enough to be a liquid at room temperature. With the absence of the completed 8p orbital due to relativistic effects, the attractive forces between atoms would be stronger and would thus have a higher melting point. Its melting point of 93 °C (199 °F) is similar to the melting point of sodium (98 °C, 208 °F). Its boiling point is 759 °C (1399 °F), about the same as potassium (758 °C, 1397 °F).
Occurrence[]
It is almost certain that becquerelium doesn't exist on Earth at all, but it is believed to barely exist somewhere in the universe due to its brief lifetime. Every element heavier than iron can only naturally be produced by exploding stars. But it is likely impossible for even the most powerful supernovae or most violent neutron star collisions to produce this hypothetical element through r-process because there's not enough energy available or not enough neutrons, respectively, to produce this superheavy element. Instead, this hypothetical element can only be produced by advanced technological civilizations, virtually accounting for all of its abundance in the universe. An estimated abundance of becquerelium in the universe by mass is 6.37 × 10−34, which amounts to 2.13 × 1019 kilograms.
Synthesis[]
To synthesize most stable isotopes of becquerelium, nuclei of a couple lighter elements must be fused together, and right amount of neutrons must be seeded. This operation would be impossible using current technology since it requires a tremendous amount of energy, thus its cross section would be so low that it is beyond the technological limit. Even if synthesis succeeds, this resulting element would almost immediately undergo fission. Here's a couple of example equations in the synthesis of the most stable isotope, 481Bq.
Imaginative applications[]
Due to its similarity to sodium in properties, the uses of becquerelium would be similar to sodium, like in vapor lamps which give off bluish white light, in contrast to yellow light for sodium, laser guides in telescopes, and alloys. However, becquerelium's useful applications would be impossible due to its extreme instability.
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