Seaborgium
Atomic Data
| Atomic Number | 106 |
| Symbol | Sg |
| Atomic Weight | 269 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 6d4 7s2 |
| Oxidation States | +6 |
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Category | Transition Metal |
| Period / Group | 7 / 6 |
| CAS Number | 54038-81-2 |
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 5f14 6d4 7s2
| 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 | 4 | 104 |
| Q | 7 | 7s | 2 | 106 |
| Total | 106 | 106 | ||
Isotopes of Seaborgium
Seaborgium has two naturally occurring stable isotopes. The most abundant is ²⁶⁹Sg, comprising None% of all naturally occurring Seaborgium.
| Isotope | Symbol | Protons | Neutrons | Abundance | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seaborgium-269 | ²⁶⁹Sg | 106 | 163 | trace | Stable |
| Seaborgium-271 | ²⁷¹Sg | 106 | 165 | trace | Stable |
Abundance & Occurrence
Seaborgium 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: Seaborgium isotopes are alpha emitters; Sg-271 (t½ = 1.9 min) is among the longer-lived, meaning chemical experiments must be performed extremely rapidly after synthesis.
- No bulk hazard: Seaborgium has only been produced a few atoms at a time; there is no practical bulk radiological or chemical hazard.
- Short half-life operations: Chemistry experiments on single seaborgium atoms must be fully automated and performed within seconds of synthesis; personnel are remote from the detection equipment during operation.
- Regulatory controls: All work is conducted at licensed accelerator facilities under comprehensive radiation protection programmes.
Seaborgium in the Real World
Real-World Uses
- Superheavy element chemistry: Seaborgium (Sg) chemistry experiments demonstrate that Sg behaves like the lighter Group 6 elements tungsten and molybdenum in forming volatile oxide tetrachlorides and oxychlorides, confirming the general validity of the periodic law at Z=106.
- Nuclear physics: Seaborgium isotope production and decay measurement contribute to the systematic mapping of nuclear properties (alpha and spontaneous fission decay) in the transition region between lighter actinides and the predicted superheavy island of stability.
- No commercial applications: Seaborgium is produced a few atoms at a time with half-lives of seconds to minutes; no practical applications are possible or envisaged.
Downloadable Resources
Free periodic table reference sheets for classrooms, study sessions, and laboratory use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has seaborgium ever been used for anything?
No. Seaborgium has no practical applications. Its most stable isotope (Sg-271) has a half-life of about 2.4 minutes. It is produced a few atoms at a time solely for fundamental nuclear and chemical research. Seaborgium chemistry has been studied in experiments involving individual atoms of the element, confirming it behaves as a group 6 element (like chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten).
How many atoms of seaborgium have been made?
Seaborgium is produced in particle accelerators at rates of perhaps a few atoms per day under optimal conditions. Individual atoms are studied the moment they are produced, before they decay. Seaborgium chemistry experiments have been performed with just a handful of atoms at a time, using rapid online chemical separation techniques.
Is seaborgium radioactive?
Yes, all isotopes of seaborgium are radioactive. The most stable known, Sg-271, has a half-life of about 2.4 minutes. Most others decay in seconds. All seaborgium atoms are produced one at a time in particle accelerators and decay almost immediately.
How did seaborgium get its name?
Seaborgium was named after Glenn T. Seaborg, the American chemist who co-discovered plutonium and nine other transuranium elements and received the 1951 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Controversially, seaborgium was named after Seaborg while he was still alive (he died in 1999): at the time this was unprecedented for an element name. IUPAC initially objected but eventually approved the name seaborgium in 1997.