A Visual Encyclopedia of the Periodic Table

163

The Nitrogen Group

Moscovium

Mc

115

pigments are used in paints

and cosmetics, while several

bismuth compounds are also

in medicines. An alloy of

bismuth and tin is an ingredient

in fire sprinklers.

Only about a hundred or so atoms of this heavy,

artificial element have been made. Moscovium

was first created at the Joint Institute for Nuclear

Research in Dubna, Russia. A team of Russian

scientists, led by Yuri Oganessian, created this element

by smashing americium atoms with parts of calcium

atoms. It is named after the Russian capital city of

Moscow. This element is extremely radioactive, and

its atoms break up within a fraction of a second.

Scientists think that moscovium would be a dense,

metallic solid but with such small samples, they

can only measure how big the atoms are before

they break up.

Uses

Unlike most

elements,

bismuth’s liquid

state is heavier

than its solid.

This cold box uses a compound

called bismuth telluride, which

becomes cold when electrified,

and keeps items cool.

This is one of the

machines in this

research centre.

This medicine contains

a bismuth compound

that helps settle an

upset stomach.

Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia

Portable refrigerator

This nail polish

gives a pearly

effect because

of bismuth

compounds.

Yellow

cosmetics

Digestive medicine

115 115 174

State: Solid (predicted)

Discovery: 2004

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