In 1955 a single atom of a new element was synthesized using the cyclotron at UC Berkeley.Given the balanced nuclear equation,identify the new nuclide. Es + He → X + n

Question

In 1955 a single atom of a new element was synthesized using the cyclotron at UC Berkeley.Given the balanced nuclear equation,identify the new nuclide.  Es +  He →  X +  n

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The balanced nuclear equation shows that an atom of element X was synthesized by bombarding an atom of Es with a helium nucleus (He), resulting in X and a neutron (n). The atomic number of Es is 99, which means it has 99 protons. The helium nucleus has 2 protons, so the resulting nucleus (X) must have 101 protons. Looking at the periodic table, element 101 is named Mendelevium (Md). Therefore, the best choice is C.

In 1955 a Single Atom of a New Element Was