Chemical Formula
Md
Background
Albert Ghiorso, Gregory R. Choppin, Bernard G. Harvey, Glenn T. Seaborg and Stanley G. Thompson first produced mendelevium at the University of California, Berkeley in 1955. They bombarded einsteinium-253 atoms with helium ions using a cyclotron and produced mendelevium-256 isotopes and a free neutron. The element is named after Dmitri Mendeleev, the Russian chemist who created the modern periodic table.
Basic Information
Name |
Mendelevium |
Symbol |
Md |
Atomic number |
101 |
Atomic weight |
258 amu |
Standard state |
Presumably a solid at 298 K |
CAS Registry ID |
11/1/7440 |
Group name |
Actinoid |
Period in periodic table |
7 |
Block in periodic table |
f-block |
Color |
Unknown, but probably metallic and silvery white or grey in appearance |
Classification |
Metallic |
Melting point |
1100 K (827°C or 1521°F) |
Boiling point |
Unknown |
Density |
Unknown |
Phase at room temperature |
Solid |
Occurrence
Mendelevium is not found in nature.
Mendelevium - Periodic Table of Videos
Isotopes
Mendelevium consists of 16 isotopes having mass numbers from 245Md to 260Md. None of them occur naturally. The longest-lived isotopes of mendelevium are 258Md, 260Md and 259Md with the respective half-lives of 51.5 days, 31.8 days and 96 min.
Production
Mendelevium can be produced by particle bombardment of einsteinium-253 atoms with alpha-particles in a 60-inch cyclotron.
Key Properties
The following are the key properties of mendelevium:
- It is a radioactive rare earth metal
- It has a moderately stable divalent state in addition to a trivalent state
- It can be reduced to its monovalent state in water-ethanol solutions.
Applications
Mendelevium is currently used for scientific research purpose only.
References
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