Fermium (Fm)
| Atomic Number | 100 |
|---|---|
| Atomic Mass | 257 u |
| Category | Actinide |
| Electron Config | [Rn] 5f¹² 7s² |
| Melting Point | 1800 K |
| Electronegativity | 1.3 (Pauling) |
| Ionization Energy | 627 kJ/mol |
| Crystal Structure | Face-centered Cubic (predicted) |
| Discovered By | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (1952) |
Brief Introduction
Fermium (Fm) is a radioactive actinide metal. It is one of the heaviest elements that can be produced in significant quantities. Key details about Fermium (Fm) are as follows:
Uses: No practical applications. Used only in scientific research to study nuclear properties and to synthesize heavier elements.
Production/Extraction: Produced by bombarding lighter actinides with neutrons in high-flux nuclear reactors. Only produced in microgram quantities or less.
History: Discovered in 1952 in the debris of the first hydrogen bomb test (Ivy Mike) by Albert Ghiorso and colleagues. Named after Enrico Fermi.
Health Effects & Safety: Highly radioactive. Assumed to be extremely dangerous, though limited data exists due to scarcity. Requires strict containment.
Price/Market: Not commercially available. Produced only for research purposes.
Properties: Radioactive, most stable isotope Fm-257 has half-life of 100.5 days, melting point around 1527°C (estimated).