ACTIVITY NO. 11: The Atomic Number and The Synthesis of New Elements Name: Date: Year & Section: Score: Concept Notes

ACTIVITY NO.
11: The Atomic Number and the Synthesis of New Elements

NAME: DATE:
YEAR & SECTION: SCORE:
Concept Notes:
If you have lived during the time when the atom was discovered, how would you describe its structure?
Moseley’s X-ray Spectroscopy
Henry Gwyn-Jeffreys Moseley was an English physicist who demonstrated that the atomic number, the number of
protons in an atom, determines most of the properties of an element. He began his study of radioactivity in Ernest
Rutherford’s laboratory but later decided to explore more on X-rays.
In 1913, Moseley published a paper on the arrangement of the elements in the Periodic table based on their atomic
numbers. He used X-ray spectroscopy to determine the atomic number of an element. He bombarded a beam of
electrons to different elements and measured their X-ray spectral lines. His results clearly showed that frequency of the
X-rays given off by an element was mathematically related to the position of that element in the Periodic table. The
frequency is proportional to the charge of the nucleus, or the atomic number.
When the elements were arranged according to their atomic numbers, there were four gaps in the table. These gaps
corresponded to the atomic numbers 43, 61, 85, and 87. These elements were later synthesized in the laboratory
through nuclear transmutations.
Discovery of Nuclear Transmutation

In 1919, Ernest Rutherford successfully carried out a nuclear transmutation reaction — a reaction involving the
transformation of one element or isotope into another element. He bombarded alpha particles from radium directed to
the nitrogen nuclei. He showed that the nitrogen nuclei reacted to the alpha particles to form an oxygen nuclei. The
reaction is written as
However, both alpha particles and atomic nuclei are positively charged, so they tend to repel each other. Therefore,
instead of using fast-moving alpha particles in synthesizing new elements, atomic nuclei are often bombarded with
neutrons (neutral particles) in particle accelerators.
The Discovery of the Missing Elements

Recall that in 1925, there were four vacancies in the periodic table corresponding to the atomic numbers 43,
61, 85, and 87. Two of these elements were synthesized in the laboratory using particle accelerators.
A particle accelerator is a device that is used to speed up the protons to overcome the repulsion between the
protons and the target atomic nuclei by using magnetic and electrical fields. It is used to synthesize new
elements.
In 1937, American physicist Ernest Lawrence synthesized element with atomic number 43 using a linear
particle accelerator. He bombarded molybdenum (Z=42) with fast-moving neutrons. The newly synthesized
element was named Technetium (Tc) after the Greek word "technêtos" meaning “artificial.” Tc was the first
man-made element.
In 1940, Dale Corson, K. Mackenzie, and Emilio Segre discovered element with atomic number 85. They
bombarded atoms of bismuth (Z=83) with fast-moving alpha particles in a cyclotron. A cyclotron is a particle
accelerator that uses alternating electric field to accelerate particles that move in a spiral path in the presence
of a magnetic field. Element-85 was named astatine from the Greek word “astatos” meaning unstable.
The two other elements with atomic numbers 61 and 87 were discovered through studies in radioactivity.
Element-61 (Promethium) was discovered as a decay product of the fission of uranium while element-87
(Francium) was discovered as a breakdown product of uranium.
Synthesis of New Elements

In the 1930s, the heaviest element known was uranium, with an atomic number 92. Early in 1940, Edwin
McMillan proved that an element having an atomic number 93 could be created. He used a particle
accelerator to bombard uranium with neutrons and created an element with an atomic number 93 which he
named neptunium.
At the end of 1940, element-94 was synthesized by Seaborg, McMillan, Kennedy, and Wahl. They bombarded
uranium with deuterons (particles composed of a proton and a neutron) in a cyclotron. Element-94 was
named plutonium.
Elements with atomic numbers greater than 92 (atomic number of uranium) are called transuranium
elements. Hence, neptunium and plutonium are both transuranium elements. They are unstable and decay
radioactively into other elements. All of these elements were discovered in the laboratory as artificially
generated synthetic elements. They are prepared using nuclear reactors or particle accelerators. In the next
lesson, you will learn the nuclear reactions involved in the synthesis of these transuranium elements.
Exercises: Read each statement carefully. Encircle the letter/s of the correct answer.
1. It is the number of positively charged particles in an atom.
a. atomic mass b. atomic number c. atomic weight d. mass number
2. He proved that the atomic number determines the major properties of an element?
a. Ernest Rutherford c. Henry Gwyn-Jeffreys Moseley
b. Ernest Walton d. James Chadwick
3. What was the method used by Moseley in determining the atomic number of elements?
a. mass spectrometry c. UV spectroscopy
b. NMR spectroscopy d. X-ray spectroscopy
4. Which of the following is true about the scientific basis of the periodic table as published by Moseley?
a. The periodic table was arranged based on the mass number of elements.
b. The periodic table was arranged based on the atomic weight of elements.
c. The periodic table was arranged based on the atomic number of elements.
d. The periodic table was arranged based on the atomic number and atomic weights of elements.
5. How did Rutherford show the first successful nuclear transmutation reaction?
a. He bombarded nitrogen nuclei with protons to produce oxygen nuclei.
b. He bombarded nitrogen nuclei with neutrons to produce oxygen nuclei.
c. He bombarded alpha particles of nitrogen to oxygen nuclei to produce radium nuclei.

d. He bombarded alpha particles of radium to nitrogen nuclei to produce oxygen nuclei.
6. Which of the following statements is true?
a. In 1937, Ernest Lawrence synthesized technetium using a linear particle accelerator.
b. Element-43 was discovered by bombarding molybdenum with slow-moving neutrons.
c. In 1925, the four vacancies in the periodic table were all synthesized in the laboratory.
d. Element-61 and element-87 were discovered by bombarding atoms with fast-moving alpha
particles.
7. Recall that in 1925, there were four vacancies in the periodic table corresponding to the atomic
numbers 43, 61, 85, and 87. Which of the following elements were produced through studies in
radioactivity? (Give 2 answers.)
a. astatine b. francium c. promethium d. uranium
8. Which of the following are true about the transuranium elements? (Give 2 answers.)
a. Transuranium elements were all synthesized in the laboratory.
b. Only particle accelerators can be used to synthesized transuranium elements.
c. Transuranium elements are elements which have atomic numbers greater than 92.
d. Some examples of transuranium elements include uranium, plutonium, and neptunium.
9. Which of the following is true about the particle accelerators? (Give 2 answers.)
a. They use both magnetic and electrical fields to speed up protons.
b. They use both magnetic and electrical fields to speed up electrons.
c. They speed up electrons, overcoming the repulsion between the neutrons and target nuclei.
d. They speed up the protons, overcoming the repulsion between the protons and target nuclei.
10. Why is it easier to use neutrons to synthesize new elements compared to alpha particles?
a. Neutrons have no charge. Thus, there is no electrostatic repulsion between them and the target
nuclei.
b. Neutrons are negatively charged. Thus, they are strongly attracted to the positively charged target
nuclei.
c. Neutrons are positively charged. Thus, they are able to overcome the electrostatic repulsion
between the target nuclei.
d. Neutrons are neither positively charged or negatively charged. Thus, they do not require force to
collide with the target nuclei.

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ACTIVITY NO.

11: The Atomic Number and the Synthesis of New Elements

Discovery of Nuclear Transmutation

The Discovery of the Missing Elements

Synthesis of New Elements

b. He bombarded nitrogen nuclei with neutrons to produce oxygen nuclei.

c. He bombarded alpha particles of nitrogen to oxygen nuclei to produce radium nuclei.

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