Rutherfordium – Periodic Table (Element Information & More)

This is a SUPER easy guide on Rutherfordium element.

In fact, the table mentioned below is the perfect information box (Which gives you every single detail about the Rutherfordium element in Periodic table.)

So if you want to know anything about Rutherfordium element, then this guide is for you.

Let’s dive right into it!

Rutherfordium Element (Rf) Information

State (at STP)	Solid (predicted)
Position in Periodic table	Group: 4, Period: 7, Block: d
Category	Transition metals
Atomic number or  Protons	104
Neutrons	157
Electrons	104
Symbol	Rf
Atomic mass of Rutherfordium (most stable isotope)	267 u
Electrons arrangement or  Bohr model	2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 10, 2
Electronic configuration	[Rn] 5f14 6d2 7s2
Crystal structure	HCP (hexagonal close packed)
Melting point (predicted)	2100 °C
Boiling point (predicted)	5500 °C
Density (predicted)	17 g/cm3
CAS number	53850-36-5

Rutherfordium in Periodic table

Rutherfordium element is in group 4 and in period 7 of the Periodic table. Rutherfordium is the d-block element and it belongs to transition metals group.

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Why is Rutherfordium in Period 7?

Let me ask you a question.

How many shells does rutherfordium atom have?

It’s 7. Right? 

You have already seen the bohr model of rutherfordium atom in the above table.

From the Bohr model, it can be found that the number of orbits or shells in rutherfordium is 7. Hence, as rutherfordium has 7 orbits, it lies in period 7 of the Periodic table.

Why is Rutherfordium in d-block?

Before knowing this reason, first of all I want to ask you a simple question.

How can you determine the blocks-wise position of elements?

The simple answer: The elements will lie in the s, p, d or f block will completely depend upon the subshell in which the last electron will enter.

For example; the electron configuration of rutherfordium is [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d² 7s². 

So the last electron of rutherfordium enters the d-subshell or d-orbital. 

Hence, rutherfordium is the d-block element.

5 facts about Rutherfordium

Interesting facts about rutherfordium element are mentioned below.

1. The element was named “Rutherfordium” to honor the chemist Ernst Rutherford.
2. Rutherfordium was discovered by Georgy Flerov and his colleagues at Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and this element was also independently discovered by Albert Ghiorso and his colleagues at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
3. Rutherfordium is a synthetic element and it is artificially prepared in the laboratory.
4. There are around 16 different isotopes of rutherfordium and none of them is stable.
5. Out of all the isotopes of rutherfordium, the isotope ²⁶⁷Rf has a longest half life of 1.3 hours.

Properties of Rutherfordium

The physical and chemical properties of rutherfordium element are mentioned below.

• The predicted state of rutherfordium at STP is solid.
• The predicted crystal structure of rutherfordium is HCP (hexagonal close-packed).
• The atomic mass of most stable isotope of rutherfordium is 267 u and its density is predicted to be 17 g/cm³.
• The calculated melting point and boiling points of rutherfordium are 2100 °C and 5500 °C respectively.
• The common oxidation states of rutherfordium are +4 and +3.

Uses of Rutherfordium

Rutherfordium is generally used for scientific research work. It has no commercial uses due to its scarcity and a very short half-life.

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External resources:

1. Rutherfordium – Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table. (n.d.). Rutherfordium – Element Information, Properties and Uses | Periodic Table. https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/104/rutherfordium
2. Rutherfordium – Wikipedia. (2019, September 21). Rutherfordium – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherfordium
3. P. (n.d.). Rutherfordium | Rf (Element) – PubChem. Rutherfordium | Rf (Element) – PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/element/Rutherfordium
4. It’s Elemental – The Element Rutherfordium. (n.d.). It’s Elemental – the Element Rutherfordium. https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele104.html
5. Rutherfordium | CCDC. (n.d.). Rutherfordium | CCDC. https://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/elements/rutherfordium/
6. Kacher, C. D. (1995, October 30). Chemical and nuclear properties of Rutherfordium (Element 104). https://doi.org/10.2172/193914
7. C&EN: IT’S ELEMENTAL: THE PERIODIC TABLE – RUTHERFORDIUM. (n.d.). C&EN: IT’S ELEMENTAL: THE PERIODIC TABLE – RUTHERFORDIUM. https://pubsapp.acs.org/cen/80th/rutherfordium.html?