Tennessine (Ts) is a synthetic, superheavy element with the atomic number 117. It is one of the most recently confirmed elements, and its existence is entirely dependent on human intervention, as it does not occur naturally on Earth. As a highly radioactive substance, Tennessine is unstable and only exists momentarily before rapidly decaying. Its purpose is scientific, representing an achievement in the ongoing quest to understand the limits of matter.
How Tennessine Is Synthesized
The creation of Tennessine requires a specific type of nuclear reaction conducted within a specialized particle accelerator, such as a cyclotron. Scientists initiate a fusion-evaporation reaction by firing a beam of one isotope at a target material made of another element. The nuclei of the two elements must collide with a specific, narrow range of energy to fuse successfully.
For Tennessine, the fusion reaction involved bombarding a target of the rare, highly radioactive isotope berkelium-249 with a beam of calcium-48 ions. The calcium-48 isotope is useful in creating superheavy elements because it contains a higher number of neutrons than lighter elements. This neutron-rich collision increases the probability of forming a short-lived, new nucleus. The initial experiment required bombarding the berkelium target for 70 days, resulting in the detection of only a handful of Tennessine atoms.
Defining Tennessine’s Atomic Characteristics
With 117 protons, Tennessine is placed in Group 17 of the periodic table, the column occupied by the halogens, such as chlorine and iodine. Despite this placement, physicists predict Tennessine’s chemical behavior will differ significantly from its lighter counterparts. This difference is due to relativistic effects, phenomena occurring in very heavy atoms where the inner electrons are accelerated to speeds approaching the speed of light.
The high speed of these electrons causes their mass to increase and their orbits to contract, altering the interactions between the outer valence electrons that govern chemical bonding. Consequently, Tennessine is predicted to exhibit properties more akin to a metalloid or a post-transition metal, deviating from the non-metallic nature of typical halogens. Its most stable isotope, Tennessine-294, possesses a half-life of only about 78 to 80 milliseconds.
Primary Role in Nuclear Physics Research
Tennessine serves as a data point in fundamental nuclear physics research concerning the stability of atomic nuclei. The study of elements like Tennessine supports the theoretical concept known as the Island of Stability. This theory suggests that while heavy elements generally become more unstable as their atomic number increases, certain combinations of protons and neutrons, often referred to as “magic numbers,” may result in a region of superheavy elements with unexpectedly longer half-lives.
Tennessine’s observed half-lives, though measured in milliseconds, were significantly longer than initial theoretical predictions that did not account for these stabilizing nuclear shell effects. By observing Tennessine’s decay chain into other heavy elements, researchers can map the boundaries of this theoretical island. This mapping validates the nuclear shell model, which describes how protons and neutrons are organized within the nucleus. The data gathered advances the understanding of the fundamental forces that hold matter together at the extreme limits of the periodic table.
Absence of Commercial or Practical Applications
Tennessine currently holds no utility outside of the specialized physics laboratory, and it is unlikely to ever have commercial or practical applications. The primary barrier is the element’s inherent instability; the longest-lived isotopes decay in less than one-tenth of a second, preventing any sustained study of its bulk properties. Furthermore, the element is produced one atom at a time through a highly inefficient process. This requires specialized infrastructure, including high-power particle accelerators and a source of extremely rare target material.
The minute quantities created since its discovery, combined with the immense cost of production, make any industrial or medical use impossible. Tennessine’s only purpose is to expand human knowledge of nuclear structure, serving as a scientific benchmark for future research into the heaviest elements. The methods and technology developed for its creation may influence advancements in other fields, such as nuclear medicine, but the element itself is not a usable substance.