Unbipentium facts for kids
Unbipentium is a special kind of element that scientists have imagined, but it hasn't been officially discovered yet. This means it's a "hypothetical" element. It's also sometimes called "eka-neptunium."
Scientists believe Unbipentium would have an atomic number of 125. The atomic number tells us how many protons are in an atom's nucleus. Its temporary symbol is Ubp. This name and symbol are used for now by a group called IUPAC until a permanent name is chosen.
Scientists think Unbipentium would be the sixth element in the eighth row (or "period") of the periodic table. It's expected to be a "g-block" element and a "superactinide," which means it would have properties similar to other very heavy elements.
Trying to Make Unbipentium
Scientists have tried to create Unbipentium in a lab. The first attempt happened in 1977 at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany.
To try and make it, they did something called "bombarding." This means they shot tiny particles of zinc-65 at a target made of Americium-238. It was like trying to stick two different types of building blocks together to make a new, heavier one.
The experiment looked like this:
- 243Am + 66,68Zn → 309,311Ubp
However, even after this attempt, no atoms of Unbipentium were found. This means scientists are still waiting to see if this element can actually be made!
See also
In Spanish: Unbipentio para niños
