Neptunium
| Symbol | Np |
| Atomic Number | 93 |
| Atomic Mass | 237 g.mol -1 |
| Discovered by | Edwin McMillan and Philip Abelson in 1940 |
Chemical Properties of Neptunium
| Group | Actinides | Melting point | 644°C, 1191°F, 917 K |
| Period | 7 | Boiling point | 3902°C, 7056°F, 4175 K |
| Block | f | Density (g cm−3) | 20.2 |
| Atomic number | 93 | Relative atomic mass | [237] |
| State at 20°C | Solid | Key isotopes | 237Np |
| Electron configuration | [Rn] 5f46d17s2 | CAS number | 7439-99-8 |
| ChemSpider ID | 22375 | ChemSpider is a free chemical structure database | |
What is Neptunium?
- Neptunium has an atomic number of 93, present in the actinide series in the Periodic Table.
- Neptunium is found between uranium (92), the last of the natural elements, and plutonium (94).
- Like its two closest neighbours, it belongs to the actinide series, so named because of the chemical affinity with actinium (89).
- First, of the artificially produced elements, Np starts the series of the 11 transuranic elements, all radioactive, heavy metals.
Physical Properties of Neptunium
- Like plutonium and uranium, neptunium (237) is an alpha emitter, which means that as it disintegrates, it emits a particle formed of two protons and two neutrons (similar to a helium nucleus). It then transmutes into protactinium 233 (element 91).
- Neptunium is produced through neutron bombardment of a uranium nucleus.
- Plutonium 238 is obtained as a result of using Np 237 as a target in research reactors, which constitutes a significant source of energy for space missions.
- Found in nuclear waste as a mixture with other fission products, Neptunium 237 also appears in increasing quantity as a product of americium 241.
Applications and Effects of Neptunium
- With a critical mass of 73 kg, Neptunium is considered usable in nuclear weapons. Although, no country is known to have used it to make a nuclear explosive device.
- Neptunium with no major commercial uses of Np is needed for research and exploratory work.
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Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Q1
Write the electronic configuration of Neptunium .
The electronic configuration of Neptunium is [Rn] 5f46d17s2 and its atomic number are 93.
Q2
Why Neptunium is called an f-block element?
The electronic configuration of Neptunium is [Rn] 5f46d17s2 and the last electron of Neptunium enters the f subshell. so it is called an f-block element.
Q3
What are the properties of Neptunium?
The atomic mass of Neptunium is 237 g/mol, its melting point is 644°C, and its density is 20.2 grams per cubic centimetre.
Q4
How many elements are there in the periodic table?
118 Elements are present in the Periodic Table.
Q5
What is Actinium?
Actinium is the first element of the actinide series. All 36 known isotopes of actinium are radioactive. Ac 227 and 228 are naturally occurring isotopes with a half-life of 21.77 years and 6.13 hours, respectively.
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