Berkelium (Bk)
"Meet **BK**, the super-rare, super-radioactive master of advanced nuclear research, always pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery and forging new elements!"
A memorable persona to anchor Bk in your mind.
14.78
Grams per cm³
986
Celsius (°C)
244
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
As rare and exclusive as a secret VIP pass to the most advanced science lab on Earth, you won't find this element lying around!
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1949
Discovered By
Stanley Thompson, Albert Ghiorso, and Glenn Seaborg
Origin of Name
"Berkelium was named after the town Berkeley, California, where it was first made."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
[247] u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
N/A
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 5f97s2
1st Ionization Energy
6.23 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"Gleaming like a futuristic, silvery-white metal, but only ever glimpsed in tiny, fleeting amounts – a true scientific mirage."
Did You Know?
Born in the Lab: Berkelium wasn't dug out of the ground; it was first *made* by humans in 1949 at the University of California, Berkeley, making it a truly synthetic superstar!
Name Dropper: It proudly carries the name of its birthplace – Berkeley, California – a direct nod to the pioneering scientists at the University of California, Berkeley Radiation Laboratory.
Radioactive Rebel: Every single known isotope of Berkelium is radioactive, meaning it's constantly decaying and spitting out energy, making it a hot potato (literally!) for scientists.
Super-Exclusive Club: Berkelium is an actinide, part of the exclusive club of heavy, mostly radioactive elements found at the bottom of the periodic table, known for their unique nuclear properties.