Mendelevium (Md) – The Element Named After a Periodic Table Pioneer

Basic Information

• Element Name: Mendelevium
• Symbol: Md
• Discovered By: Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley
• Category: Actinide
• Group: Actinides series (a group of heavy elements)
• State: Synthetic (man-made), does not occur naturally
• Discovered In: 1955

Chemical Properties

• Atomic Number: 101
• Atomic Mass: Around 258 (most stable isotope)
• Valence Electrons: Typically 3 or 4 (like other actinides)
• Electronic Configuration: [Rn] 5f¹³ 7s²

What You Should Know About Mendelevium

• Mendelevium is a synthetic element, created in a laboratory setting.
• It’s part of the actinide series, a group of heavy, radioactive metals.
• This element is highly unstable and exists for just a few minutes before decaying.
• Named after Dmitri Mendeleev, the Russian scientist who created the Periodic Table.

Interesting Facts about Mendelevium

• It was the first element to be synthesized by bombarding lighter elements with heavy ions.
• It was named in honor of Dmitri Mendeleev, who is often credited with laying the groundwork for the periodic table.
• Mendelevium has no practical applications outside of scientific research due to its short-lived and radioactive nature.
• It’s one of the heaviest elements ever made in the laboratory.

Uses

• Mendelevium is used mainly for scientific research to study nuclear reactions and the behavior of heavy elements.
• It helps scientists understand the properties of the actinide series and test theoretical predictions in atomic structure.

✨ Summary:
Mendelevium is a man-made, radioactive metal named after the creator of the periodic table, Dmitri Mendeleev. While it has no practical use in daily life, it plays an important role in helping scientists study the behavior of superheavy elements!