Atomic Number 43 (Noun)
Meaning
A crystalline metallic element not found in nature; occurs as one of the fission products of uranium.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- Technetium, also known as atomic number 43, is a silvery-gray transition metal that has the lowest atomic number among all the unstable elements with no stable isotopes.
- The most stable isotope of atomic number 43, technetium-98, has a half-life of about 4.2 million years.
- Technetium, with atomic number 43, was the first element to be produced artificially, by bombarding molybdenum with deuterons.
- As one of the fission products of uranium, atomic number 43, technetium is a significant contributor to the radioactivity of nuclear waste.
- Due to its rarity and radioactive nature, the extraction of atomic number 43 from fission products is not economically viable, making its commercial production dependent on the bombardment of molybdenum.