Physical properties
There is some question as to whether isotope 289 of 114ununquadium has been syntheticallyproduced or identified, so it is sometimes called eka-lead because it is located at the bottomof the column of elements in group 14 (IVA). Lead and tin are located just above it in thiscolumn and are therefore Uuq’s homologues; thus, Uuq has some properties similar to Pb.
Element 114 is the first element in the group referred to as “the island of stability,” whichconsists of element 114 to the optimum element 184. The elements in this so-called islandof stability all have a rather stable arrangement of neutrons and protons in their nuclei and asimilar configuration of the electrons in their orbits (shells) that result in longer half-lives thansome of the SHE elements not located in the “island.”
As with Uuq’s valence and oxidation state, its melting point, boiling point, and densityare not known.
Isotopes
There are five currently known isotopes of ununquadium, ranging from Uuq-285 to Uuq-289, with half-lives ranging from 0.85 milliseconds to 30 seconds. The moststable isotope is Uuq-289, which has a 30-second half-life.
Origin of Name
IUPAC assigned the temporary name “ununquadium,” literally meaning
114.
History
In December 1998 the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory sent a supply of plutonium-244 andcalcium-48 to Russian scientists at the Joint Institute of Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia.The Russians bombarded the plutonium with ions of calcium, which, after some time, produceda single atom of ununquadium-289. Uuq has a half-life of just 30 seconds, after whichit decays successively into element 112 (ununbium), element 110, (darmstadtium), and element108 (hassium). The Russian nuclear laboratory later synthesized several atoms of otherisotopes of Ununquadium.
Uses
Not enough atoms of ununquadium have been produced to find any practical uses exceptin nuclear research laboratories.
Hazard
Atoms of ununquadium are produced in such small numbers that they are not a hazard tothe general public.
