Seaborgium (Sg)

Seaborgium properties

Atomic number

106

Atomic mass

269 u

Category

Transition metal

Group

6

Period

7

Block

d-block

State at room temp.

Unknown

Electronegativity

—

Melting point

—

Boiling point

—

Density

—

Valence electrons

2

Common charges

+3, +4, +5, +6

Oxidation states

+6, +5, +4, +3, 0

Atomic radius

—

Ionization energy

—

Electron affinity

—

Radioactive

Yes, no stable isotopes

Discovered

1974

Seaborgium electron configuration

The electron configuration of Seaborgium (Sg) is [Rn] 5f14 6d4 7s2. Its 106 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 12, 2.

Protons, neutrons and electrons in Seaborgium

A neutral Seaborgium atom has 106 protons and 106 electrons. Most Seaborgium atoms have about 163 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 269, minus the atomic number 106.

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

How many valence electrons does Seaborgium have?

2

Seaborgium 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

Seaborgium 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 Seaborgium

269 g/mol

One mole of Seaborgium atoms (6.022 × 10²³ atoms) has a mass of 269 grams. Use this value to convert between grams and moles.

Seaborgium facts

• Seaborgium was the first element named after a person who was still alive at the time.
• Seaborg joked that his mail could be addressed using element names alone: seaborgium, lawrencium, berkelium, californium, americium.
• Seaborgium (Sg) has atomic number 106. It was discovered in 1974.

Position in the periodic table

Seaborgium is element 106, in period 7 and group 6 of the periodic table, in the d-block.

All transition metals

Uses of Seaborgium

Seaborgium has no uses outside research, since only a handful of atoms can be produced at a time and they decay within minutes at most. Chemists have turned single atoms into volatile compounds, such as an oxychloride and a hexacarbonyl, to show that seaborgium behaves like molybdenum and tungsten, the lighter elements in group 6.

Who discovered Seaborgium?

A team led by Albert Ghiorso and Kenneth Hulet at Berkeley and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory made seaborgium in 1974 by bombarding californium with oxygen ions. It was named after chemist Glenn Seaborg.

Where does the name come from?

Seaborgium honors Glenn T. Seaborg, the American chemist who helped discover plutonium and several other heavy elements. Unusually, the name was chosen while Seaborg was still alive.

Discovery timeline