Livermorium
Atomic Data
| Atomic Number | 116 |
| Symbol | Lv |
| Atomic Weight | 293 u |
| Density (STP) | N/A |
| Melting Point | N/A °C (None K) |
| Boiling Point | N/A °C (None K) |
| Electronegativity | : |
| Electron Config. | 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d10 5f14 6s2 6p6 6d10 7s2 7p4 |
| Oxidation States | +2, +4 |
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Category | Post-Transition Metal |
| Period / Group | 7 / 16 |
| CAS Number | 54085-63-1 |
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 5f14 6d10 7s2 7p4
| Shell | n | Subshell | Electrons | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | 1 | 1s | 2 | 2 |
| L | 2 | 2s | 2 | 4 |
| L | 2 | 2p | 6 | 10 |
| M | 3 | 3s | 2 | 12 |
| M | 3 | 3p | 6 | 18 |
| M | 3 | 3d | 10 | 28 |
| N | 4 | 4s | 2 | 30 |
| N | 4 | 4p | 6 | 36 |
| N | 4 | 4d | 10 | 46 |
| N | 4 | 4f | 14 | 60 |
| O | 5 | 5s | 2 | 62 |
| O | 5 | 5p | 6 | 68 |
| O | 5 | 5d | 10 | 78 |
| O | 5 | 5f | 14 | 92 |
| P | 6 | 6s | 2 | 94 |
| P | 6 | 6p | 6 | 100 |
| P | 6 | 6d | 10 | 110 |
| Q | 7 | 7s | 2 | 112 |
| Q | 7 | 7p | 4 | 116 |
| Total | 116 | 116 | ||
Isotopes of Livermorium
Livermorium is monoisotopic: ²⁹³Lv is its only naturally occurring stable isotope, accounting for 100% of all natural Livermorium.
| Isotope | Symbol | Protons | Neutrons | Abundance | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Livermorium-293 | ²⁹³Lv | 116 | 177 | trace | Stable |
Abundance & Occurrence
Livermorium is present in Earth's crust at approximately trace amounts by mass and at approximately trace amounts by mass throughout the universe.
Earth's Crust (ppm by mass)
Universe (ppm by mass)
Discovery & History
Read more about the discovery of the periodic table of elements →
Safety & Handling
- Alpha radiation and very short half-life: Livermorium isotopes are alpha emitters; Lv-293 (t½ = 57 ms) is extremely short-lived, meaning synthesis and detection must occur almost simultaneously.
- No practical bulk hazard: Only a few dozen atoms of livermorium have ever been synthesised; there is no macroscopic hazard from the element.
- Curium target radiation: Livermorium synthesis requires bombardment of Cm-248 targets, which are intensely radioactive alpha emitters; target preparation, handling, and post-irradiation processing are the primary radiological hazards in these experiments.
- Regulatory controls: All livermorium research is conducted at the JINR Dubna and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under their respective national nuclear regulatory authority licences.
Livermorium in the Real World
Real-World Uses
- Superheavy element nuclear research: Livermorium (Lv-291, Lv-293) is produced in Ca-48 bombardment of curium targets at JINR Dubna and confirmed at other laboratories; its alpha-decay products include flerovium (Z=114) and copernicium (Z=112), providing data for the decay chains of these lighter species.
- Testing Group 16 relativistic behaviour: Livermorium is the heaviest Group 16 element (polonium family); relativistic calculations predict its chemistry and volatility should deviate substantially from polonium, with possible noble-gas-like behaviour, though experimental chemistry studies are not yet feasible.
- No commercial applications: Livermorium is produced a few atoms at a time; its most stable known isotope (Lv-293) has a half-life of about 57 milliseconds, precluding any practical application.
Downloadable Resources
Free periodic table reference sheets for classrooms, study sessions, and laboratory use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has livermorium ever been used for anything?
No. Livermorium has no practical applications. Its most stable isotope (Lv-293) has a half-life of about 60 milliseconds: just 0.06 seconds. It exists only as individual atoms produced in particle accelerators and is studied for fundamental nuclear research. Theoretical predictions suggest livermorium may show unusual relativistic chemistry if it could ever be studied chemically.
How many atoms of livermorium have been made?
Livermorium was first synthesised in 2000 at JINR in Dubna, Russia, by bombarding curium-248 with calcium-48 ions. Only a few atoms were produced then, and since the initial discovery the total number of livermorium atoms ever produced is in the low tens of atoms. Each existed for less than a tenth of a second before decaying.
Is livermorium radioactive?
Yes, all isotopes of livermorium are radioactive. The most stable known, Lv-293, has a half-life of about 60 milliseconds. It decays by alpha emission. No stable or long-lived livermorium isotopes are known.
How did livermorium get its name?
Livermorium was named after Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, California, which collaborated with the JINR Dubna team in the synthesis of the element. LLNL provided the curium targets used in the experiment. The name was approved by IUPAC in 2012, alongside flerovium, in the first new element names approved since 1997.