Meitnerium (Mt)
The discovery of meitnerium in 1982 was based on a single detected atom.
Meitnerium properties
- Atomic number
- 109
- Atomic mass
- 278 u
- Category
- Unknown properties
- Group
- 9
- Period
- 7
- Block
- d-block
- State at room temp.
- Unknown
- Density
- —
- Electron affinity
- —
- Radioactive
- Yes, no stable isotopes
- Discovered
- 1982
Meitnerium electron configuration
- Electron configuration
- [Rn] 5f14 6d7 7s2
- Full electron configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d10 5f14 6s2 6p6 6d7 7s2
- Electron shells
- 2 · 8 · 18 · 32 · 32 · 15 · 2
The electron configuration of Meitnerium (Mt) is [Rn] 5f14 6d7 7s2. Its 109 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 15, 2.
Protons, neutrons and electrons in Meitnerium
A neutral Meitnerium atom has 109 protons and 109 electrons. Most Meitnerium atoms have about 169 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 278, minus the atomic number 109.
Neutrons are approximate: atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). Atomic number and mass
How many valence electrons does Meitnerium have?
2
Meitnerium has 2 valence electrons, counting the electrons in its outermost s subshell. Like most transition metals, it can also use d electrons in bonding.
Meitnerium 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 Meitnerium
278 g/mol
One mole of Meitnerium atoms (6.022 × 10²³ atoms) has a mass of 278 grams. Use this value to convert between grams and moles.
Meitnerium facts
- The discovery of meitnerium in 1982 was based on a single detected atom.
- Meitnerium is the only element named solely after a real woman; curium honors Marie Curie together with Pierre.
- Meitnerium (Mt) has atomic number 109. It was discovered in 1982.
Position in the periodic table
Meitnerium is element 109, in period 7 and group 9 of the periodic table, in the d-block.
Uses of Meitnerium
Meitnerium has no uses outside research because only a small number of atoms have ever been made, and they decay within seconds. Its chemistry has never been studied in experiments. Scientists rely on calculations, which predict that it should behave like iridium, the element above it in group 9.
Who discovered Meitnerium?
Peter Armbruster and Gottfried Münzenberg's team at GSI in Darmstadt, Germany, made meitnerium in 1982 by bombarding bismuth with iron ions. It is named after Austrian-Swedish physicist Lise Meitner, a co-discoverer of nuclear fission.
Where does the name come from?
Meitnerium honors Lise Meitner, the Austrian-born physicist who, with Otto Frisch, gave the first explanation of nuclear fission. She was left out of the Nobel Prize awarded to Otto Hahn for the discovery of fission.
Same group
Compare Meitnerium
FAQ
What is the electron configuration of Meitnerium?
The electron configuration of Meitnerium (Mt) is [Rn] 5f14 6d7 7s2. Its 109 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 15, 2.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Meitnerium have?
A neutral Meitnerium atom has 109 protons and 109 electrons. Most Meitnerium atoms have about 169 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 278, minus the atomic number 109.
How many valence electrons does Meitnerium have?
Meitnerium has 2 valence electrons, counting the electrons in its outermost s subshell. Like most transition metals, it can also use d electrons in bonding.
What is the molar mass of Meitnerium?
The molar mass of Meitnerium is 278 g/mol. This is the same number as its atomic mass, 278 u.
Is Meitnerium a metal?
Meitnerium is a synthetic superheavy element, so too few atoms have been made to measure whether it behaves as a metal.
Is Meitnerium radioactive?
Yes. Meitnerium has no stable isotopes, so all of its atoms are radioactive and eventually decay into other elements.
Where is Meitnerium on the periodic table?
Meitnerium is element 109, in period 7 and group 9 of the periodic table, in the d-block.