Technetium facts for kids

Technetium is a special chemical element with the symbol Tc. It has the atomic number 43. This means it has 43 protons in its atoms. Technetium is a silvery-grey metal that looks like a crystal. It is a radioactive element, which means its atoms are unstable and give off energy. Technetium belongs to a group of metals called transition metals. Its chemical behavior is similar to rhenium and manganese.

What is Technetium Used For?

Technetium in Medicine

One special type of technetium, called Technetium-99m (written as ^99mTc), is very important in nuclear medicine. Doctors use it for many tests to see inside the human body. It helps them find problems in organs like the heart or bones. This type of technetium has a short half-life, which means it quickly loses its radioactivity. This makes it safer for medical use because it doesn't stay in the body for too long.

Other Uses of Technetium

Another type, Technetium-99 (⁹⁹Tc), gives off tiny particles called beta particles. It does this without giving off more powerful gamma rays. This makes it useful in some scientific tools. Also, a special chemical form of technetium, called the pertechnetate ion (TcO₄^-), can help stop corrosion (rusting) in steel.

How Was Technetium Discovered?

Predicting a New Element

Long before technetium was actually found, a famous scientist named Dmitri Mendeleev predicted it. He created the periodic table of elements. Mendeleev noticed a gap in his table where an element should be. He even guessed many of its properties and called it "eka-manganese."

The First Man-Made Element

In 1937, scientists finally made technetium. They created a specific type of technetium, ⁹⁷Tc, in a lab. This was the very first element ever made by humans! This is how it got its name: "technetium" comes from a Greek word, technetos, which means "artificial" or "man-made."

Where is Technetium Found?

Technetium on Earth

Most technetium found on Earth today is actually a by-product of nuclear reactors. It's made when uranium-235 atoms split apart in a process called fission. Scientists then take it out of used nuclear fuel rods.

Naturally, technetium is very rare on Earth. Tiny amounts can be found in uranium ores. It forms there when uranium atoms naturally split apart.

Technetium in Space

No type of technetium lasts for a very long time. The longest-lasting type, ⁹⁸Tc, has a half-life of about 4.2 million years. This might sound like a long time, but it's short compared to the age of Earth. Because of this, scientists were very surprised when they found technetium in red giant stars in 1952. This discovery was important because it helped prove the idea that stars can create heavier elements inside them.

Images for kids

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  This old periodic table from 1904 shows a gap where technetium (marked as 'Ma' for masurium, an earlier incorrect name) should be.

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  This image shows how technetium tetrachloride (TcCl4) forms chain-like structures.

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  Technetium (99mTc) sestamibi ("Cardiolite") is widely used for imaging of the heart.

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  This is the first technetium-99m generator from 1958, used to create the medical isotope.

See also

In Spanish: Tecnecio para niños