Copernicium (Cn)

Copernicium properties

Atomic number

112

Atomic mass

285 u

Category

Unknown properties

Group

12

Period

7

Block

d-block

State at room temp.

Unknown

Electronegativity

—

Melting point

—

Boiling point

—

Density

—

Valence electrons

2

Common charges

—

Oxidation states

—

Atomic radius

—

Ionization energy

—

Electron affinity

—

Radioactive

Yes, no stable isotopes

Discovered

1996

Copernicium electron configuration

The electron configuration of Copernicium (Cn) is [Rn] 5f14 6d10 7s2. Its 112 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 2.

Protons, neutrons and electrons in Copernicium

A neutral Copernicium atom has 112 protons and 112 electrons. Most Copernicium atoms have about 173 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 285, minus the atomic number 112.

Neutrons are approximate: atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). Atomic number and mass

How many valence electrons does Copernicium have?

2

Copernicium has 2 valence electrons, counting the electrons in its outermost s subshell. Like most transition metals, it can also use d electrons in bonding.

See every element: Periodic table with valence electrons

Copernicium orbital diagram

Each box is an orbital that holds up to two electrons with opposite spins (↑↓). The inner shells are the same as the noble gas in brackets. How to write electron configurations

Molar mass of Copernicium

285 g/mol

One mole of Copernicium atoms (6.022 × 10²³ atoms) has a mass of 285 grams. Use this value to convert between grams and moles.

Copernicium facts

• The name copernicium was made official on February 19, 2010, the 537th anniversary of Copernicus's birth.
• Its symbol was first proposed as Cp, but it was changed to Cn because Cp had once been used for the element now called lutetium.
• Copernicium (Cn) has atomic number 112. It was discovered in 1996.

Position in the periodic table

Copernicium is element 112, in period 7 and group 12 of the periodic table, in the d-block.

Uses of Copernicium

Copernicium has no uses outside research. Chemists have studied single atoms of it as they pass over gold surfaces and found that it is very volatile, much like mercury, the element above it in group 12. Some calculations even suggest that copernicium could be a liquid or a gas near room temperature.

Who discovered Copernicium?

Sigurd Hofmann's team at GSI in Darmstadt, Germany, first made copernicium in 1996 by fusing lead and zinc nuclei. It is named after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.

Where does the name come from?

Copernicium honors Nicolaus Copernicus, the Renaissance astronomer who argued that Earth and the other planets orbit the Sun. The name was officially adopted on February 19, 2010, the anniversary of his birth.

Discovery timeline