How Is Seaborgium Synthesized and Why Does It Matter?
Seaborgium is a synthetically created element and is denoted by ‘Sg’. In the year 1947, scientists at University of California, Berkley and another in Dubna, Russia discovered this element using different methods. However, both the teams could not register their discovery as the element was short-lived, and it decayed within seconds. Since they were unable to reproduce their findings, it was temporarily named as ‘Element 106’.
In the year 1993, University of California, Berkley finally discovered the method to reproduce ‘Element 106’ and claimed its naming rights. Right after then, it was named after an American nuclear chemist Glenn T. Seaborg and Seaborgium became the first element which was named after a living scientist.
What is Seaborgium?
The element Seaborgium is synthetic and was discovered by scientist Albert Ghiorso. It gets its name after Glenn T.Seaborg, a Nuclear Chemist. For further important details, refer to this table below.
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Properties of Seaborgium
This can be further segregated into two sections –
l. Physical Properties of Seaborgium
The element Seaborgium and compounds formed from it, both are radioactive in nature.
It is an element from group 6 and can be found in period 7th of the periodic table.
According to the various experiments performed, Seaborgium may act as a heavier homolog to the element Tungsten.
Seaborgium neither has any stable, nor any naturally occurring isotopes. However, the decay of heavy metals or fusion of two atoms in the laboratory has helped create several radioactive isotopes.
As per predictions, it is found in the state of solid matter under natural or normal conditions.
It has a structure similar to that of Tungsten just like a cubic crystal structure with the body centre.
The atomic weight of Seaborgium is 271.
It appears like a metallic grey or silvery white with a hint of shine.
It is of metallic lustre.
The density of Seaborgium is assumed to be 35 g/ cm3, though it is not the confirmed value.
It is of paramagnetic nature and attracts iron mildly.
The mass magnetic susceptibility of Seaborgium is 6.66 x 10-8 m3/ Kg.
The molar magnetic susceptibility of Seaborgium is 5.921 x 10-9 m3/ mol.
The volume magnetic susceptibility of Seaborgium is assumed to be 0.0002978.
ll. Chemical Properties of Seaborgium
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It is a group 6 element.
Seaborgium can be found in the period 7 in a periodic table.
It resides in block d.
The atomic number of Seaborgium is 106.
The physical state of Seaborgium element at 200 C is said to be solid.
The electronic configuration for the element can be represented as – [Rn] 5 f14 6 d4 7 s2.
The relative atomic mass of Seaborgium is also known as 269.
The key isotopes of this element can be represented as 271Sg.
The CAS number for Seaborgium will be 54038-81-2.
Number of electrons in Seaborgium is 106.
Number of Neutrons in Seaborgium is 165.
Number of protons in Seaborgium is 106.
The covalent radius of the Seaborgium atom is 1.43 Å.
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Sources of Seaborgium
It is not a naturally occurring element, rather an element which is synthetically produced by nuclear bombardment. It is possible to produce the element in tiny amounts only and is a short-lived element. This radioactive element is created when you bombard Ne-22 with CM-248 or when you bombard Cf-249 (Californium-249) with O-18 (Heavy oxygen atoms). So those who are still wondering what is Seaborgium and how it is synthesised can look here.
Isotopes of Seaborgium
An isotope is a variant of an element which has the same chemical property as that of the element. However, the nuclei of their atoms contain a similar number of protons and a different number of neutrons. As a result, the relative atomic mass differs and not the chemical properties of the element and its isotope.
Seaborgium has no stable isotopes. However, it has a few unstable isotopes as follows.
Seaborgium – 258
Seaborgium - 259
Seaborgium – 260
Seaborgium – 261
Seaborgium – 262
Seaborgium – 263
Seaborgium – 264
Seaborgium – 265
Seaborgium – 266
Seaborgium – 267
Seaborgium – 268
Seaborgium – 269
Seaborgium – 270
Seaborgium – 271
Seaborgium – 272
Seaborgium – 273
Amongst all the above isotopes, 271Sg is known to be the most stable isotope of Seaborgium. This is considered to have a half-life of approximate 2.4 minutes.
Applications and Effects of Seaborgium
Since it is still in its early development phase with few or no stable isotopes known, there are limited use and application of this element. It is mostly used in laboratories for research and development purpose. Since the element is short-lived and does not occur naturally or freely in nature, it has no commercial applications. However, because of its radioactive property, it might possess dangerous effects if exposed to the environment. However, because of its short-life and low quantity of produce, its threats or benefits are still unknown.
Multiple-choice Questions
Choose the appropriate reason that explains why Seaborgium was known as ‘Unnihexium’ when it was first discovered.
Because Russia and America both unanimously agreed upon this name.
Glenn Seaborg chose this name initially.
The element was already named as said above before its discovery.
Russia and America both were arguing upon who discovered the element first.
Ans – d
Choose the fundamental difference between the element Seaborgium and its isotope.
The element has more number of protons in the nucleus than its isotope.
Its isotope differs in the number of neutrons present in the nuclei.
The weight of the element is greater than that of its isotope.
Unlike the element, its isotope has unstable electrons.
Ans – b
Choose the correct option for Seaborgium.
Liquid
Long-lived
Radioactive
Useful
Ans – c
Choose the right symbol for Seaborgium.
Sg
Sr
Sz
Sb
Ans – a
What is the atomic weight of Seaborgium?
269
270
271
272
Ans – c
Choose the isotope which is most stable.
Seaborgium – 265
Seaborgium – 270
Seaborgium – 268
Seaborgium – 271
Ans – d
Interesting Facts –
It is assumed to be the heaviest element present in group 6 of a periodic table.
It is positioned in the 4th place in the transition metal series of 6d and is the third known member.
This was the 1st element which was named after a living person after which IUPAC passed a rule that no elements can be named after a living person. However, that was removed as another element was named as Einsteinium while Albert Einstein was still alive.
In the year 2014, some research group at RNC (RIKEN Nishina Centre for Accelerator-based Research, Japan were able to establish a bond between carbon and Seaborgium for the very first time.
Now that you are aware of what is Seaborgium along with the significant concepts related to it, you can attempt questions from this chapter with ease. You can also acquire our notes and attempt mock examinations to help your academic preparations. You can visit our website or even download our Vedantu app which offers enhanced access to these materials and online interactive sessions.
FAQs on Seaborgium: Properties, Isotopes, and Applications
1. What is Seaborgium and where is it found?
Seaborgium (Sg) is a synthetic, radioactive chemical element with the atomic number 106. As a man-made element, it is not found naturally on Earth. Scientists create Seaborgium in minute quantities in particle accelerators by bombarding target elements with ions, such as fusing californium-249 with oxygen-18 ions. Its existence is confirmed through the detection of its decay products.
2. What are the key chemical and physical properties of Seaborgium?
Since only a few atoms of Seaborgium have ever been produced, most of its properties are predicted based on its position in the periodic table. The key expected properties are:
Atomic Number: 106
Atomic Mass: The most stable isotope, Sg-269, has an atomic mass of approximately 269 u.
Predicted Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d⁴ 7s².
Appearance: It is predicted to be a solid metal at room temperature, likely with a silvery-white or greyish appearance, similar to other Group 6 elements.
Periodic Table Position: It is located in Group 6 and Period 7, making it a d-block transition metal and the heaviest member of its group.
3. What is the significance of Seaborgium's electron configuration?
The predicted electron configuration of Seaborgium, [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d⁴ 7s², is fundamental to understanding its chemistry. This configuration places it in Group 6, directly below Tungsten (W). It strongly suggests that Seaborgium would be a member of the 6d series of transition metals and would likely exhibit a stable +6 oxidation state, similar to Tungsten. This allows chemists to predict how it might form compounds, such as SgO₃ and SgF₆.
4. How is Seaborgium expected to compare with its lighter homologue, Tungsten?
Seaborgium is the heavier homologue of Tungsten (W) in Group 6, and while they share group characteristics, their properties are not identical due to relativistic effects. Both are expected to have a stable +6 oxidation state. However, due to the high nuclear charge in Seaborgium, relativistic effects (the contraction of s and p orbitals) are significant. This makes Seaborgium's +6 state potentially even more stable than Tungsten's and influences its ionisation energies and covalent character, making its chemistry a unique area of study.
5. Why is Seaborgium so difficult to study and has no practical applications?
The study and application of Seaborgium are severely limited by two main factors:
Extreme Instability: Seaborgium has no stable isotopes. Its most long-lived isotope, Sg-269, has a half-life of only about 14 minutes. This rapid decay provides an extremely short window for any chemical experimentation.
Minute Production Scale: It can only be produced literally an atom at a time in highly specialised particle accelerators. Consequently, Seaborgium has no uses outside of fundamental scientific research to understand the behaviour of superheavy elements and test the limits of the periodic table.
6. What are the most important isotopes of Seaborgium?
Seaborgium does not have any stable isotopes; all are radioactive. Scientists have synthesized several isotopes with mass numbers from 258 to 271. The most significant among these for experimental purposes is seaborgium-269, which is the most stable known isotope with a half-life of about 14 minutes. Another important isotope is seaborgium-265, which has a shorter half-life of about 8 seconds but is crucial in the decay chains of heavier elements like Copernicium.
7. Why was element 106 named Seaborgium?
Element 106 was officially named Seaborgium (Sg) in honour of the American nuclear chemist Glenn T. Seaborg. This was a highly significant tribute, as it was the first time an element was named after a living person. The naming recognised Seaborg's pioneering role in the discovery and identification of ten transuranic elements, a monumental contribution to nuclear science and the expansion of the modern periodic table.
