Bk
Berkelium
Element 97 · 247.07031 u
Berkelium is produced in tiny amounts to serve as target material for making heavier elements.
Physical Properties
| Atomic Mass | 247.07031 u |
| Density | 14.79 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 1259.0 K |
| Boiling Point | 2900.0 K |
| Appearance | Silvery metallic |
| State at Room Temp | Solid |
Chemical Properties
| Electronegativity | 1.3 (Pauling) |
| 1st Ionization Energy | 601.0 kJ/mol |
| Electron Affinity | -165.24 kJ/mol |
| Oxidation States | +3, +4 |
Atomic Properties
| Electron Configuration | [Rn] 5f9 7s2 |
| Atomic Radius | 170.0 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 244.0 pm |
Discovery
| Discovered By | Stanley G. Thompson, Albert Ghiorso, Glenn T. Seaborg |
| Discovery Year | 1949 |
| Location | Berkeley, California, USA |
| Named After | Named after Berkeley, California |
About Berkelium
Berkelium is a soft, silvery-white radioactive actinide. It was used as target material to produce element 117 (tennessine).
Uses & Applications
Target material for producing heavier elements and scientific research.
Fun Fact
In 2009, scientists produced 22 milligrams of berkelium-249 over 250 days to create element 117.
Isotopes
| Mass Number | Abundance | Half-Life | Stable |
| 247 | - | 1,380 years | No |
| 249 | - | 330 days | No |
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 5f9 7s2