Systematic element name
Encyclopedia
A systematic element name is the temporary name and symbol
assigned to newly synthesized and not yet synthesized chemical element
s. In chemistry
, a transuranic element
receives a permanent name and symbol only after its synthesis has been confirmed. In some cases, this has been a protracted and highly political process (see element naming controversy
). In order to discuss such elements without ambiguity, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
(IUPAC) uses a set of rules to assign a temporary systematic name and symbol to each such element. This approach to naming originated in the successful development of regular rules for the naming of organic compounds
.
The temporary names are derived systematically from the element's atomic number
. Each digit is translated to a 'numerical root', according to the table to the right. The roots are concatenated
, and the name is completed with the ending -ium. Some of the roots are Latin
and others are Greek
; the reason is to avoid two digits starting with the same letter. There are two elision
rules designed to prevent odd-looking names.
The systematic symbol is formed by taking the first letter of each root, converting the first to a capital.
The suffix -ium overrides traditional chemical suffix rules, thus 117 and 118 are ununseptium
and ununoctium
, not ununseptine and ununocton.
All elements up to atomic number 112 have received individual permanent names and symbols, so the systematic names and symbols are only used for elements 113 and above. The systematic names are exactly those with 3-letter symbols.
Examples:
Chemical symbol
A chemical symbol is a 1- or 2-letter internationally agreed code for a chemical element, usually derived from the name of the element, often in Latin. Only the first letter is capitalised...
assigned to newly synthesized and not yet synthesized chemical element
Chemical element
A chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. Familiar examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, copper, gold, mercury, and lead.As of November 2011, 118 elements...
s. In chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, a transuranic element
Transuranium element
In chemistry, transuranium elements are the chemical elements with atomic numbers greater than 92...
receives a permanent name and symbol only after its synthesis has been confirmed. In some cases, this has been a protracted and highly political process (see element naming controversy
Element naming controversy
The names for the chemical elements 104 to 106 were the subject of a major controversy starting in the 1960s, described by some nuclear chemists as the Transfermium Wars because it concerned the elements following fermium on the periodic table....
). In order to discuss such elements without ambiguity, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry is an international federation of National Adhering Organizations that represents chemists in individual countries. It is a member of the International Council for Science . The international headquarters of IUPAC is located in Zürich,...
(IUPAC) uses a set of rules to assign a temporary systematic name and symbol to each such element. This approach to naming originated in the successful development of regular rules for the naming of organic compounds
IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry
The IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry is a systematic method of naming organic chemical compounds as recommended by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry . Ideally, every possible organic compound should have a name from which an unambiguous structural formula can be drawn. ...
.
The IUPAC rules
| digit | root | symbol |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | nil | n |
| 1 | un | u |
| 2 | b(i) | b |
| 3 | tr(i) | t |
| 4 | quad | q |
| 5 | pent | p |
| 6 | hex | h |
| 7 | sept | s |
| 8 | oct | o |
| 9 | en(n) | e |
The temporary names are derived systematically from the element's atomic number
Atomic number
In chemistry and physics, the atomic number is the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom and therefore identical to the charge number of the nucleus. It is conventionally represented by the symbol Z. The atomic number uniquely identifies a chemical element...
. Each digit is translated to a 'numerical root', according to the table to the right. The roots are concatenated
Concatenation
In computer programming, string concatenation is the operation of joining two character strings end-to-end. For example, the strings "snow" and "ball" may be concatenated to give "snowball"...
, and the name is completed with the ending -ium. Some of the roots are Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and others are Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
; the reason is to avoid two digits starting with the same letter. There are two elision
Elision
Elision is the omission of one or more sounds in a word or phrase, producing a result that is easier for the speaker to pronounce...
rules designed to prevent odd-looking names.
- If bi or tri is followed by the ending ium (i.e. the last digit is 2 or 3), the result is '-bium' or -'trium', not '-biium' or '-triium'.
- If enn is followed by nil (i.e. the sequence -90- occurs), the result is '-ennil-', not '-ennnil-'.
The systematic symbol is formed by taking the first letter of each root, converting the first to a capital.
The suffix -ium overrides traditional chemical suffix rules, thus 117 and 118 are ununseptium
Ununseptium
Ununseptium is the temporary name of a superheavy artificial chemical element with temporary symbol Uus and atomic number 117. Six atoms were detected by a joint Russia–US collaboration at Dubna, Moscow Oblast, Russia, in 2009–10...
and ununoctium
Ununoctium
Ununoctium is the temporary IUPAC name for the transactinide element having the atomic number 118 and temporary element symbol Uuo. It is also known as eka-radon or element 118, and on the periodic table of the elements it is a p-block element and the last one of the 7th period. Ununoctium is...
, not ununseptine and ununocton.
All elements up to atomic number 112 have received individual permanent names and symbols, so the systematic names and symbols are only used for elements 113 and above. The systematic names are exactly those with 3-letter symbols.
Examples:
| Element 119: Element 123: Element 173: |
un + un + enn + ium = un + bi + tr + ium = un+ sept + tr + ium = |
ununennium Ununennium Ununennium also known as eka-francium or element 119, is the temporary name of a hypothetical chemical element in the periodic table that has the temporary symbol Uue and has the atomic number 119. To date, attempted syntheses of this element have been unsuccessful. Since it is below the alkali... (Uue) unbitrium (Ubt) unsepttrium (Ust) |
- Note: These examples show conjectured elements. , UnunoctiumUnunoctiumUnunoctium is the temporary IUPAC name for the transactinide element having the atomic number 118 and temporary element symbol Uuo. It is also known as eka-radon or element 118, and on the periodic table of the elements it is a p-block element and the last one of the 7th period. Ununoctium is...
, element 118, is the highest-numbered element discovered.
External links
- The IUPAC recommendation. Untitled draft, March 2004. (PDFPortable Document FormatPortable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
, 143 kB). - http://media.iupac.org/publications/pac/2002/pdf/7405x0787.pdf
- American Chemical Society, Committee on Nomenclature, Terminology & Symbols