What is Oganesson

Oganesson (pronunciation: oh-gan-ess-on) is a highly radioactive ^[2], artificially produced chemical element, classified as a non-metal, probably belonging to the group of noble gases ^{[1, 3]}. Represented by the symbol Og ^[3], Oganesson is a comparatively new element ^[4]. Since it is highly unstable, its atomic structure is quite difficult to study ^[4].

Its most stable isotope is ²⁹⁴Og, with a half-life of about 0.9 milliseconds, and it undergoes radioactive disintegration through α decay to form ²⁹⁰Lv (livermorium-290) ^{[1, 2]}.

Where is it Found

Oganesson is not known to occur in nature and is artificially produced in laboratories ^[4].

History

Who discovered it: Russian nuclear physicist Yuri Oganessian is credited with the discovery of this element ^[2].

Origin of its Name: It is named after Yuri Oganessian himself, to recognize his research works in transactinide elements ^{[1, 2]}.

When and How was Oganesson Discovered

A team of researchers, including scientists at the JINR (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research) in Dubna, worked in collaboration with those from the LLNL (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) in California to create the element 118 in October 2006 ^[1]. The scientists bombarded californium-249 atoms with calcium-48 ions using a cyclotron, producing an isotope Oganesson-294 with a half-life of 0.9 milliseconds and three neutrons ^[1]. The target atoms of californium were exposed to a total of 16×10¹⁸ calcium ions ^[1].

The discovery of Oganesson was confirmed by the IUPAC in 2015 through further experiments ^[5].

Properties and Characteristics of Oganesson

General PropertiesRelative atomic mass294 ^[2]

Physical Properties

ColorProbably colorless ^[6]Melting point/freezing pointUnknown ^[2]Boiling pointUnknown ^[2]DensityUnknown ^[2]State of matter at room temperature (solid/liquid/gas)Gas (expected) ^{[1, 5]}Electrical conductivityUnknown ^[7]Thermal (heat) conductivityUnknown ^[7]Specific heatUnknown ^{[2, 7]}Bulk modulusUnknown ^[2]Shear modulusUnknown ^[2]Young’s modulusUnknown ^[2]Vapor pressure – Temperature (K)40060080010001200140016001800200022002400– Pressure (Pa)———–

Chemical Properties

Oxidation statesUnknown ^[2]IsotopesIsotopeMassAbundanceHalf-lifeMode of decay ²⁹⁴Og294.214-0.9 msα

Atomic Data of Oganesson (Element 118)

What is it used for

Oganesson is not a naturally occurring element and has only been synthesized in small quantities, making it useful only for basic scientific research ^{[1, 5]}.

Possible Health Effects and Hazards

Because of its high radioactivity, Oganesson can be harmful to humans and other living organisms ^[5].

Interesting Facts

• Oganesson was assigned a placeholder name “Ununoctium” with a symbol uuo, meaning one-one-eight in Latin, indicating its atomic number ^[3].
• Oganesson is sometimes indicated by a 3D graphic representation of the island of stability, as it is one of heaviest elements showing the possibility of superheavy elements reaching stability at some point ^[2].

References
1. https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele118.html
2. http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/118/oganesson
3. https://www.livescience.com/41460-facts-about-ununoctium.html
4. https://phys.org/news/2017-10-oganessonthe-black-sheep-noble-gases.html
5. https://www.chemicool.com/elements/oganesson.html
6. https://www.webelements.com/oganesson/
7. http://periodictable.com/Elements/118/data.wt.html