| |||||
| Predicted properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name, Symbol, Number | Ununhexium, Uuh, 116 | ||||
| Chemical series | Presumably true metals | ||||
| Group, Period, Block | 16, 7 , p | ||||
| Appearance | Unknown, probably a metallic and silvery white or grey colour | ||||
| Atomic weight | [289] amu(A Guess) | ||||
| Electron configuration | [Rn] 5f14 6d10 7s27p4 (a guess based upon polonium) | ||||
| e- 's per energy level | 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 6 | ||||
| State of matter | presumably a solid | ||||
History
In 1999, researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announced the discovery of elements 116 and 118, in a paper published in Physical Review Letters. The following year, they published a retraction after other researchers were unable to duplicate the results.
In June 2002, the director of the lab announced that the original claim of the discovery of these two elements had been based on data fabricated by the principal author Victor Ninov.
The name Ununhexium is used as a placeholder, such as in scientific articles about the search for Element 116; it is a Latinateate way of saying "one-one-six-ium" ("ium" being a standard ending for element names). Such transuranic elements are always artificially produced, and usually end up being named for a scientist. See Element naming controversy, systematic element name.