Unbihexium

Unbihexium (pronounced /ˌʌnbɪˈhɛksiəm/) is an unsynthesized chemical element with atomic number 126 and symbol Ubh. It is of interest because it is in the hypothesized island of stability.

Additional recommended knowledge

Daily Sensitivity Test

Weighing the right way

How to quickly check pipettes?

History

The name unbihexium is used as a placeholder, as in scientific articles about the search for element 126. Transuranic elements (those beyond uranium) are, except for microscopic quantities and except for plutonium, always artificially produced, and usually end up being named for a scientist or the location of a laboratory that does work in atomic physics (see systematic element name for more information).

Stable Unbihexium

Calculating by the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov Method using the non-relativistic Skyrme energy density, it could be possibly the most stable, in a "well" of stability, or island of stability, for Ubh-310.

Appearance/properties of Unbihexium (Estimated)

• Metal
• Radioactive (or stable)
  • Half-life (of the most stable isotope): possibly over 1.5 million years^{[citation needed]}
• Color: Silvery or gray
• Oxidizing quickly
• Can ignite in air, emitting very bright light like Magnesium
• Solid
  • Melting point: >600°C
  • Boiling Point: >1500°C
  • Hardness: About 5.5-9.0 Mohs

Trivia

An Action Comics story by John Byrne established the fictional Kryptonite as element 126 on the periodic table of the elements.

The science fiction short story "Silence is Golden" by American science fiction author Lou Antonelli is based on the supposed discovery of Element 126 in a Texas open-pit mine. The story, published by Revolution Science Fiction in August 2003, received an Honorable Mention in "The Year's Best Science Fiction, 21st annual collection" (St. Martin's Press, New York, N.Y. Gardner Dozois, ed. 2004).

See also

• Island of stability : Ununquadium – Unbinilium – Unbihexium
• Unbipentium – Unbiseptium