Moscovium (Mc) is a synthetic, superheavy element that exists only briefly in a laboratory setting. It has 115 protons, which defines its identity on the Periodic Table. This element is highly radioactive and was first created by an international team of scientists in 2003 and officially named in 2016. Due to its instability, it has no known practical applications and is studied to advance nuclear physics.
The Meaning of 115 Protons
The 115 protons within the nucleus of a Moscovium atom define its atomic number, symbolized by Z. This number is the fundamental characteristic that determines the element’s identity and its chemical behavior. Changing the number of protons, even by one, results in an entirely different element, such as Flerovium (114 protons) or Livermorium (116 protons).
The atomic number 115 places Moscovium in Group 15 and Period 7 of the Periodic Table. Group 15 is known as the pnictogens, which includes common elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and bismuth. Moscovium is predicted to behave chemically as a heavier analog to bismuth, although relativistic effects significantly affect its properties.
A neutral Moscovium atom must also contain 115 electrons orbiting the nucleus. The arrangement of these electrons dictates how the atom interacts to form chemical bonds. Theories suggest that Moscovium should be a dense, solid metal at room temperature, but its complex structure makes predicting its exact chemical reactivity difficult.
How Scientists Create Moscovium
Moscovium is synthetic and must be produced artificially in a laboratory. Scientists create it using nuclear fusion, a process requiring specialized equipment to force two atomic nuclei to merge. This method, known as hot fusion, takes place within powerful particle accelerators, such as the cyclotron at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia.
The specific reaction involves colliding Calcium-48 ions with a target made of Americium-243. Calcium-48 is an isotope with 20 protons, and Americium-243 is a heavy, radioactive element with 95 protons. Scientists accelerate the Calcium-48 ions to immense speeds and direct them at the Americium target, hoping the two nuclei will briefly fuse.
When the 20 protons from Calcium combine with the 95 protons from Americium, the resulting product is the superheavy Moscovium nucleus, containing 115 protons. This process is highly inefficient; only a tiny fraction of collisions result in successful fusion. The initial discovery experiments produced only four atoms, and only about 100 atoms have been created in total, highlighting the difficulty of synthesizing these superheavy elements.
Extreme Instability and Radioactive Decay
The immense number of protons packed into the Moscovium nucleus creates an extremely unstable environment, leading to rapid radioactive decay. Its existence is measured in fractions of a second. The most stable known isotope, Moscovium-290, has an extremely short half-life of only about 0.65 to 0.8 seconds.
Moscovium disintegrates almost instantly through a process called alpha decay, shedding an alpha particle (two protons and two neutrons). This decay is the nucleus’s attempt to achieve a more stable configuration by reducing its size. When Moscovium-290 undergoes alpha decay, it transforms into an isotope of Nihonium (element 113).
The Nihonium nucleus then continues the decay chain, transforming into other, lighter elements until a relatively stable nucleus is formed. This rapid decay places Moscovium at the edge of what physicists refer to as the “Island of Stability.” This theoretical region suggests that certain combinations of protons and neutrons in the superheavy range may result in isotopes with significantly longer half-lives. The brief existence of Moscovium makes it incredibly challenging to study its physical and chemical properties before it vanishes.