Home | Chemistry | Nobelium-Discovery, Properties, And Applications

Nobelium-Discovery, Properties, And Applications

October 19, 2023
written by Adeel Abbas

Nobelium is a synthetic, radioactive element with the symbol No and atomic number 102. It is a member of the actinide series of elements and was first synthesized in 1957.

image of Nobelium element
PropertyValue
NameNobelium
SymbolNo
Atomic number102
Relative atomic mass (Ar)(longest-lived isotope)
Standard statePresumably a solid at 298 K
AppearanceUnknown, but probably metallic and silvery white or grey in appearance
ClassificationMetallic
Group in periodic table
Group nameActinoid
Period in periodic table7 (actinoid)
Block in periodic tablef
Shell structure2.8.18.32.32.8.2
CAS Registry10028-14-5

Discovery

Nobelium was first synthesized in 1957 by a team of scientists led by Albert Ghiorso at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. The element was named after Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite and founder of the Nobel Prizes.

Physical Properties

Nobelium is a silvery-white metal that is highly radioactive. It is the heaviest element of the actinide series and has a density of 9.9 g/cm3.

Chemical Properties

Nobelium is a highly reactive element and has not been found in the Earth’s crust. It is difficult to study its chemical properties due to its short half-life and small quantities produced in laboratories.

Facts

  • Nobelium has no stable isotopes
  • The most stable isotope, nobelium-259, has a half-life of just 58 minutes
  • Nobelium has no known biological role
  • The element has not been found naturally occurring on Earth and is only produced in laboratories through nuclear reactions

Applications

Nobelium has no practical applications due to its instability and limited availability. However, its study is important in advancing our understanding of the properties of heavy elements and the principles of nuclear physics.

Nobelium is a highly reactive and radioactive element that was first synthesized in 1957. It has no known biological role and has no practical applications due to its instability and limited availability. Its study is important in advancing our understanding of heavy elements and nuclear physics.