Fermium

Fermium
Symbol Fm
Atomic Number 100
Atomic Mass (257) g.mol -¹
Discovered by Albert Ghiorso and colleagues in 1953

Chemical Properties of Fermium

Group Actinides Melting point 1527°C, 2781°F, 1800 K
Period 7 Boiling point Unknown
Block f Density (g cm−3) Unknown
Atomic number 100 Relative atomic mass [257]
State at 20°C Solid Key isotopes 257Fm
Electron configuration [Rn] 5f127s2 CAS number 7440-72-4
ChemSpider ID 22432 ChemSpider is a free chemical structure database

What is Fermium?

  • Fermium is a transuranic radioactive element and a member of the actinide series in the periodic table of elements.
  • Fermium was first discovered by Albert Ghiorso and others during the work involving at New Mexico and the University of California at Berkeley in the radioactive fallout from a nuclear test in the Pacific Ocean.
  • So far, not enough fermium has been made to analyze its chemical properties, but it is predicted that it would be a metal susceptible to attack by acids, steam, and air.
  • Fermium is produced in small quantities and does not have an extended half-life.

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Uses of Fermium

  • As fermium is found in very small quantities and all of its isotopes have very short lives, there is no commercial use for the element.
  • The scientists make use of this element in their research in expanding their knowledge on the rest of the periodic table.

Properties of Fermium

  • The most stable isotope of Fermium, that is fermium-257 has a half-life of around 100.5 days.
  • The isotope can be decayed into californium-253 with alpha decay or through spontaneous fission.

Certain Facts About Fermium

  • It no longer exists naturally on earth but earlier it was known to have been produced in natural reactor deposits.
  • As it does not occur naturally, it has no known health hazards facts and effects.
  • Today fermium can be obtained in microgram quantities by bombarding neutrons of plutonium inside a nuclear reactor. The 257Fm and other higher isotopes can be produced with this process.

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Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Q1

Write the electronic configuration of fermium.

The electronic configuration of fermium is [Rn] 5f127s2 and its atomic number is 100.
Q2

Why fermium is called an f-block element?

The electronic configuration of fermium is [Rn] 5f127s2 and the last electron of fermium enters the f subshell. so it is called an f-block element.
Q3

What are the properties of fermium?

The atomic mass of fermium is 257 and its melting point is 1527°C. The half-life of fermium is 100.5 days.
Q4

How many elements are there in the periodic table?

118 Elements are present in the Periodic Table.
Q5

What is Californium?

Californium (Cf) is a radio metallic chemical element with atomic number 98 and is a member of actinide group of periodic table, discovered by G.T Seaborg in the year 1950.
It is named after the University and the state of California.
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