Question

The element flerovium $\left( {_{114}Fl} \right)$ was synthesized in a nuclear reaction in the late part of the last century. Only a few atoms of this synthetic element were created. Despite this, flerovium is predicted to have properties most similar to which of these?
A.$Ho$
B.$Pb$
C.$Na$
D.$Uup$

Answer 1

Hint: To answer this question, you must recall the position of flerovium in the periodic table by writing its electronic configuration. Flerovium is predicted to have 4 electrons in its valence shell.

Complete step by step answer:
The electron configuration of an atom represents the arrangement of electrons distributed among the different shells and subshells of the atom. Mainly, electron configuration is used to represent the orbitals of an atom in its ground state but it can also depict the arrangement of electrons in a cation or anion.
Majority of the physical and chemical properties of an element can be related to its unique electronic configuration. The electrons in the outermost shell, known as the valence electrons, determine the chemistry of an element.
To start with, we must write the electronic configuration of flerovium.
$Fl\left( {Z = 114} \right):\left[ {Rn} \right]5{f^{14}}6{d^{10}}7{s^2}7{p^2}$
From the electronic configuration of flerovium, we can see that it has four valence electrons.
It has 2 electrons in its $7s$ orbital and 2 electrons in the $7p$ orbital.
Thus, we can say that flerovium is a member of group $14$ (carbon group) of the periodic table. This means that flerovium must have properties similar to those of the other members of the same group, namely, Carbon, Silicon, Germanium, Tin and Lead.
Thus, out of the given options, flerovium is predicted to have properties most similar to lead $\left( {Pb} \right)$.

The correct option is B.

Note:
Since its discovery in 1998, only 90 atoms of flerovium have been found, out of which 58 were directly synthesized, and the rest were produced from decay of radioactive heavier elements. The flerovium atoms observed till now, all have mass numbers from 284 to 290.
The most stable isotope of flerovium is $Fl_{114}^{289}$, which has a half-life of around $1.9$ seconds.