Hassium
Synthetic superheavy element discovered via cold fusion.
Hassium is a synthetic chemical element with symbol Hs and atomic number 108. It is a highly radioactive superheavy element, produced in very small quantities in a laboratory by fusing heavy nuclei with lighter ones. Its discovery was a milestone in the use of cold fusion techniques, and its naming after the German state of Hesse reflects the location of the laboratory where its synthesis was conclusively established.
- symbol
- Hs
- atomic_number
- 108
- most_stable_isotope_half_life
- about ten seconds
- group
- 8
- period
- 7
- discovery_credit
- Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI) in Darmstadt, Hesse, West Germany
Lore & Background
Earlier that same year, researchers at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Soviet Union, had also reported synthesis of element 108, recording twenty-one spontaneous fission events they attributed to 264Hs.
Reader's Guide
Hassium's chemical properties have been partly characterized; it behaves as the heavier homologue to osmium, reacting with oxygen to form a volatile tetroxide. Its most stable known isotopes have half-lives of about ten seconds, though 270Hs has magic numbers for deformed nuclei, giving it greater stability against spontaneous fission.
Did You Know?
- Hassium is named after the German state of Hesse, home to the GSI facility.
- Its most stable known isotopes have half-lives of about ten seconds.
- The isotope 270Hs has magic numbers of protons and neutrons for deformed nuclei, giving it greater stability against spontaneous fission.
- Chemistry experiments have confirmed that hassium reacts readily with oxygen to form a volatile tetroxide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hassium?
Hassium is a synthetic superheavy element with symbol Hs and atomic number 108, occupying group 8 of period 7 on the periodic table. It has no natural occurrence and exists only in vanishingly small quantities produced inside a laboratory.
How was Hassium first made?
Scientists at the GSI heavy-ion research center in Darmstadt, Germany, created Hassium by accelerating lighter ions into a heavy target nucleus, a technique called cold fusion. That experiment provided the conclusive evidence the element needed to be formally recognized.
How long does Hassium last before decaying?
Its most stable isotope has a half-life of roughly ten seconds, after which it splits into lighter radioactive products. No one has ever accumulated a visible or weighable amount of the element.
Why is it called Hassium?
The name is derived from Hesse (German: Hessen), the German federal state where the GSI laboratory that confirmed the synthesis is located. It follows the convention of naming new elements after a place or scientist with a direct connection to the discovery.
Why is Hassium important to the periodic table?
Its confirmation proved that cold-fusion methods could reliably reach elements well beyond the actinide series, opening the door to the synthesis of even heavier superheavy elements. It also helped chemists begin mapping the expected electron configurations and group behavior of the 7th-period transition metals.
More in Periodic Table & Elements 1-21
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