New Elements on the Periodic Table, Finally Named!

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has recognized the existence of 4 new elements – the 113, 115, 117 and 118 in December. These new elements have filled the right corner of the seventh row of the Periodic Table that were previously known as ununtrium, ununpentium, ununseptium and ununoctium.

Based on the rule that has been being followed, nothing must be named Element McElementface. IUPAC has set a guideline when naming newly discovered elements which are:

  1. A mythological concept or character
  2. A mineral or similar substance
  3. A place or geographical region
  4. A property of element
  5. A scientist

IUPAC has finally publicized the new names of these 4 super heavy metals (with over 104 protons).

  • 113 – nihonium (Nh): from the Japanese word “Nihon,” or the “Land of the Rising Sun.”
  • 115 – moscovium (Mc): named after the Moscow region, where the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna (Russia) is located. The new element was discovered in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.
  • 117 – tennessine (Ts): named after where Oak Ridge, Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee are located.
  • 118 – oganesson (Og): named after Russian physicist Yuri Oganessian, who was renowned due to its contribution in the discovery of several super heavy elements.

Are you not in favor of these new names? You have until November 2016 to make an appeal.