Berkelium - 97Bk: the essentials
- Name: berkelium
- Symbol: Bk
- Atomic number: 97
- Relative atomic mass (Ar): [ 247 ] (longest lived isotope)
- Standard state: solid at 298 K
- Appearance: unknown, but probably metallic and silvery white or grey in appearance
- Classification: Metallic
- Group in periodic table:
- Group name: Actinoid
- Period in periodic table: 7 (actinoid)
- Block in periodic table: f
- Shell structure: 2.8.18.32.27.8.2
- CAS Registry: 7440-40-6
Berkelium atoms have 97 electrons and the shell structure is 2.8.18.32.27.8.2. The ground state electronic configuration of neutral berkelium is [Rn].5f9.7s2 and the term symbol of berkelium is 6H15/2.
Berkelium: description
Berkelium is a radioactive rare earth metal, named after the University of California at Berkeley (USA). Apparently, berkelium tends to accumulate in the skeletal system. It is of no commercial importance and only a few of its compounds are known.
Berkelium: physical properties
Density of solid: 14780 kg m-3
Molar volume: 16.84 cm3
Thermal conductivity: 10 (estimate) W m‑1 K‑1
Berkelium: heat properties
Melting point: 1259 [986 °C (1807 °F)] K
Boiling point: (no data) K
Enthalpy of fusion: 20.5 kJ mol-1
Berkelium: atom sizes
Atomic radius (empirical): (no data) pm
Molecular single bond covalent radius: 168 (coordination number 3) ppm
van der Waals radius: (no data) ppm
Berkelium: electronegativities
Pauling electronegativity: 1.3 (Pauling units)
Allred Rochow electronegativity: 1.2 (Pauling units)
Mulliken-Jaffe electronegativity: (no data)
Berkelium: orbital properties
First ionisation energy: 598.00 kJ mol‑1
Second ionisation energy: 1150 kJ mol‑1
Third ionisation energy: 2080 kJ mol‑1
Berkelium: abundances
Universe: (no data) ppb by weight
Crustal rocks: (no data) ppb by weight
Human: (no data) ppb by weight
Berkelium: crystal structure
![Bk crystal structure](../_media/elements/crystal_structure_image/Bk-sf.jpg)
Berkelium: biological data
Human abundance by weight: (no data) ppb by weight
Berkelium has no biological role.
Berkelium: uses
Berkelium: reactions
Reactions of berkelium as the element with air, water, halogens, acids, and bases where known.
Berkelium: binary compounds
Binary compounds with halogens (known as halides), oxygen (known as oxides), hydrogen (known as hydrides), and other compounds of berkelium where known.
Berkelium: compound properties
Bond strengths; lattice energies of berkelium halides, hydrides, oxides (where known); and reduction potentials where known.
Berkelium: history
Berkelium was discovered by Glenn T. Seaborg, Stanley G. Thompson, Albert Ghiorso in 1949 at USA. Origin of name: named after "Berkeley", a city in California, home of the University of California, USA.Berkelium: isotopes
![Isotope abundances of berkelium](../_media/elements/isotopes/isotope_abundance_Bk.png)
Berkelium: isolation
Isolation: coming soon!