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Element Zero

Q: What is element zero (0)? Where do we get it?

Krishna: At present, 118 elements are known to us. All these have different properties. Out of these 118, only 94 are naturally occurring.

Ununennium, also known as eka-francium or element 119, is the hypothetical chemical element with symbol Uue and atomic number 119. Ununennium and Uue are the temporary systematic IUPAC name and symbol respectively, which are used until the element is discovered, confirmed, and a permanent name is decided upon(1).

The superheavy elements, or those with atomic numbers above 104, also fit into this non-natural category. The larger the atom's nucleus — which increases with the number of protons inside — the more unstable that element is, generally. As such, these outsized elements are fleeting, lasting mere milliseconds before decaying into lighter elements, according to the IUPAC. For instance, superheavy elements 113, 115, 117 and 118 were verified by the IUPAC in December 2015, completing the seventh row, or period, on the table. Several different labs produced the superheavy elements. The atomic numbers, temporary names and official names are (2):

113: ununtrium (Uut), nihonium (Nh)
115: ununpentium (Uup), moscovium (Mc)
117: ununseptium (Uus), tennessine (Ts)
118: ununoctium (Uuo), oganesson (Og)

Then your actual Q is 'Is There an Element Zero'?

Scientists are constantly working to create new elements by cramming more and more protons into nuclei, expanding the periodic table. The effort sparks curiosity and questions: Can the table be enlarged in the opposite direction too? Is it possible to make an element zero? Does it already exist?

Zero atomic number of a particle would require it to be devoid of a proton leaving only the neutron which would have zero charge and one atomic mass unit.

"Element zero" has been a matter of conjecture for nearly a century, and the scientist who worked on this Q more ardently was chemist Andreas von Antropoff. It was Antropoff who placed the theoretical element atop a periodic table of his own devising, and it was also he who thought up a prescient name for it: neutronium (3).

Despite its name, it is not actually a chemical element. "Element zero" is merely the human nickname for this material.

Neutronium: Today, the term commonly refers to a gaseous substance composed almost purely of neutrons, found within the tiniest, densest stars known to exist: neutron stars.

But is the stuff also worthy of the title "element zero"? Neutronium is theoretically devoid of protons, so on face value it fits the bill, as no protons would mean no atomic number. With that said, such a definition would certainly require some creative thinking. Neutronium only dwells under the crushing gravity of a neutron star. Extract a teaspoon of the stuff (roughly equal to the mass of a mountain) and it will decay almost instantly with "tremendous" radioactivity. To consider neutronium a stable element we'd almost need to think of a neutron star as an atomic nucleus (4).

Imagiantions don't have any limits, do they?

Footnotes:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ununennium

2. https://www.livescience.com/25300-periodic-table.html

3. https://www.livescience.com/57614-is-there-an-element-zero.html

4. https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2017/01/16/is_there_an_elemen...

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