Key Isotopes and Real-World Uses of Nobelium
Nobelium is a human-made element. It is named Alfred Nobel and is produced in low quantities. Based on the periodic table, it is categorised under the actinide series. To know about this element, students have to familiar with the periodic table in the first place.
It is vital to know the positions of various series. Besides, they should also be familiar with the positions of at least first twenty to twenty-five elements. Having clarity on the same will help them remember the associated information of those elements.
You should note that a specific series of elements have similar properties. Although their names might differ and a few other features might vary, yet they have multiple similarities. Hence, it is recommended to know about the periodic table.
Nobelium - General Properties
When you lookout for an element, it is vital that you develop an understanding of its physical properties. Named after the person who initiated awarding Nobel laureate, this element is a synthetic one.
Also, this element is highly radioactive and produced as the result of a bombardment. It is divalent metal based on its position on the periodic table. It is preceded by mendelevium and followed by lawrencium.
Hence, by these two names, it might be clear to you that these elements are named after famous scientists. As already mentioned, identifying positions of elements is essential in order to take note of their properties.
Nobelium - Physical Properties
Physical properties of an element determine how it performs as an individual element. Herein, you should note that physical properties or features do not take chemical reactions into account.
It features only the part that this element performs as a single entity. Refer to the table for more information.
Therefore, now you are aware of the properties of nobelium. Make sure you revise the same on a regular basis so that you can remember the associated data for a longer time. Next, we have the chemical properties to look at.
Nobelium - Chemical Properties
Apart from physical properties, this element Nobelium has a range of chemical properties as well. These determine its nature about how reactive it is with other elements. However, all such features depend on its atomic structure.
So, let us first understand the atomic structure of nobelium element listed in the table below -
Hence, now you know the chemical properties as well. Herein, you should note the electronic configuration of the element. Additionally, the number of electrons, protons and neutrons are also vital.
Alongside, the number of valence electrons is also important to understand the advance concepts of chemical reactions. You should be aware that for a bond to occur with another element, both should have valence electrons to form a bond.
Also, you should note the oxidation states of nobelium as it will guide you in understanding the oxidation and reduction reactions of the element. It is similar to electron bookkeeping, as you can identify the number of electrons taking part in a reaction.
Miscellaneous Properties of Nobelium
Nobelium is not a naturally occurring element. Hence it is likely to possess properties of its constituents. Otherwise, the way it is produced might also be responsible for determining its characteristics.
Some of Its Properties Are Discussed Below -
It is a rare earth metal. In simple words, since it is man-made, it is likely that these are not produced in vast quantities. Hence, it is hardly available in the environment.
Nobelium is a radioactive metal as well. The protons and neutrons of this metal are unstable. This leads to emission or radiation of energy.
Notably, this metal is divalent in aqueous solution.
However, with all these properties listed above, it is clear that the metal possesses contradictory features. Do note, students must be careful while listing the properties of this rare earth metal. Furthermore, this can turn out to be a vital chapter in your curriculum especially since it is often given a decent weightage in the examinations.
Production of Nobelium
To study the production of this element, you need to be aware of the nobelium electron configuration as well. It is the atomic structure that reveals how an element might have been prepared.
By now, it is already cleared that nobelium is a human-made element. It is incapable of occurring freely in nature. The process by which nobelium is produced is nuclear bombardment.
Californium 249 or any other transuranium atom is bombarded with carbon 12 ions. This process occurs in a cyclotron, thereby giving rise to the formation of this compound called nobelium.
You might notice here that there is no complicated step in the production of this element. However, it involves two constituents which are to be cautiously mentioned while writing an answer in the exam since they are radioactive and have very specific sets of properties.
So, ensure that you remember those names clearly along with their atomic number. This will help you in framing an answer that has accurate data. As a result, you can score higher in your exam.
Effects of Nobelium
This element does not occur naturally in the environment. So, if you are looking for nobelium periodic table, you can find it between mendelevium and lawrencium. Understandably, it is very likely the element will possess similar properties as them.
Additionally, based on its properties, this element does not possess any harmful effects. Neither does it impact the environment, nor the living beings. The prime reason behind such behaviour is its highly unstable nature.
Since this element is extremely unstable in its original form, it generally decomposes into other forms. As a result, it gets negligible time to cause any effect on its surrounding.
Isotopes of Nobelium
Till date, twelve isotopes have been found. They all have a mass number from 250 to 262. Quite similar to the original form, these isotopes are also not stable. They also tend to decompose into other types quickly.
However, some of the isotopes have long-lived which are -
259No - 51.5 minutes
255No - 31.8 minutes
253No - 1.7 minutes
In this regard, you should that these durations are half-life durations. Hence, students have to understand that it is not the entire lifetime of an element that is considered, in case it is radioactive.
Such elements data solutions are necessary for a clear understanding of the advanced concepts as well. Also, the production process is mentioned above in this explanation, so you can have an idea of what this element is like.
So, for every point, you read about nobelium as a metal, make sure you are getting an in-depth analysis of the same. This includes noting the various isotopes along with their varying properties.
Applications of Nobelium
Nobelium uranium are such metals which find application only in research purposes. They are highly radioactive and unstable. As a result, they mostly decompose into other forms. Besides, they also have multiple isotopes which are used in other purposes.
Out of all uses, research-related purposes are of prime significance. There are no specific applications of the same due to their undetectable nuclei. Students should, therefore, be very careful when writing about the uses of this element.
To know more about nobelium and its features and properties, you can look into our online study programs. Our study materials are drafted by eminent faculty members who have years of teaching experience. Now you can also download our Vedantu app for enhanced accessibility to these materials and online interactive sessions.
FAQs on Nobelium: Properties, Production, and Applications
1. What is Nobelium and where does it fit in the periodic table?
Nobelium is a synthetic, radioactive chemical element identified by the symbol No and atomic number 102. It does not occur naturally on Earth. In the periodic table, Nobelium is classified as an actinide element. It is the tenth transuranic element and the second-to-last member of the actinide series, located in the f-block, just before Lawrencium.
2. What are the main applications of Nobelium?
Due to its extreme instability and the minuscule quantities in which it can be produced, Nobelium has no commercial or industrial applications. Its only use is in the field of fundamental scientific research. Scientists study Nobelium to better understand the properties of super-heavy elements and to test the limits of the periodic table and theories of atomic structure.
3. How is the element Nobelium produced?
Nobelium is produced artificially in particle accelerators. It is synthesised by bombarding a heavy element target with lighter ions. For example, the isotope Nobelium-255 can be created by bombarding a Curium-246 target with Carbon-12 ions. The process yields only a very small number of atoms at a time, making it extremely difficult and expensive to produce.
4. What are the key physical and chemical properties of Nobelium?
Nobelium is a highly radioactive metal with properties mostly predicted due to its instability. Key properties include:
- Atomic Number: 102
- Atomic Mass: Approximately 259 u (for its most stable isotope)
- Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 7s²
- Oxidation States: The most stable oxidation state is +2, which is unusual for an actinide. A +3 state also exists but is less stable.
- Half-life: Its most stable known isotope, Nobelium-259, has a half-life of about 58 minutes. Other isotopes have half-lives of only seconds or milliseconds.
- Physical State: It is predicted to be a solid at room temperature.
5. Why is Nobelium's common +2 oxidation state unusual for an actinide element?
Nobelium's preference for the +2 oxidation state is a significant anomaly within the actinide series, where the +3 state is typically the most stable. This unusual behaviour is explained by its electron configuration, [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 7s². When Nobelium loses two electrons from its 7s orbital to form the No²⁺ ion, it is left with a completely filled and therefore highly stable 5f¹⁴ subshell. The extra energy required to remove a third electron from this stable, filled f-subshell is very high, making the +2 state energetically favoured.
6. Is Nobelium harmful to the environment or human health?
Theoretically, Nobelium is extremely dangerous due to its intense radioactivity. Direct exposure would be very harmful. However, in practice, it poses no risk to human health or the environment. This is because it is only ever produced in atom-at-a-time quantities within highly controlled laboratory settings. Furthermore, its very short half-life means it decays into other elements long before it could ever become an environmental contaminant.
7. What is the full electron configuration of a Nobelium atom?
The full, ground-state electron configuration for a Nobelium (No) atom is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 5f¹⁴ 6s² 6p⁶ 7s². For simplicity, it is often written using the shorthand notation based on the preceding noble gas, Radon (Rn), as [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 7s². The filled 5f subshell is a key feature that influences its chemical properties.
8. Who is credited with the discovery of Nobelium?
The discovery of Nobelium was complex and subject to a historical controversy. While an initial claim was made in 1957 by a team at the Nobel Institute in Sweden, their results could not be replicated. The first confirmed synthesis of Nobelium is now credited to a team at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia, in 1966. The work was later confirmed and expanded upon by a team at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, USA. Despite the retraction of the initial claim, the name 'Nobelium' was retained.
