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Nuclear chemistry

Lawrencium bridges a knowledge gap

Nature volume 520, pages 166–167 (2015)Cite this article

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The heavy element lawrencium is available in only tiny quantities. Measurement of one of its atomic properties was thus an experimental challenge, but indispensably validates theoretical models of heavy elements. See Letter p.209

Accurately measuring the chemical properties of elements that have an atomic number (Z) greater than 100 is exceedingly difficult because of the limited availability of these elements. But by synthesizing single, short-lived atoms of lawrencium (Z = 103) in nuclear fusion reactions, Sato et al.1 (page 209 of this issue) have now measured this element's first ionization potential — the energy required to remove a single electron from an uncharged gaseous atom. This allowed them to compare the experimental value with theoretical calculations and to bridge a gap in our knowledge of the chemistry of the actinide elements, of which lawrencium is the final member in the periodic table.

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Figure 1: Periodic table of the elements.

Kazuaki Tsukada

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References

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  1. and in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Andreas Türler is at Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.,

    Andreas Türler

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  1. Andreas Türler
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Correspondence to Andreas Türler.

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Türler, A. Lawrencium bridges a knowledge gap. Nature 520, 166–167 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/520166a

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