In 2010, a team of scientists from Russia and the U.S. reported creation of the first atom of element 117, which is not yet named and is denoted [117]. The synthesis involved the collision of a target of ²⁴⁹₉₇Bk with accelerated ions of an isotope which we will denote Q. The product atom, which we will call Z, immediately releases neutrons and forms ²⁹⁴₁₁₇[117] : 

²⁴⁹₉₇Bk + Q → Z → ²⁹⁴₁₁₇[117] + 3¹₀n

(a) What are the identities of isotopes Q and Z?

(b) Isotope Q is unusual in that it is very long-lived (its half-life is on the order of 10¹⁹ yr) in spite of having an unfavorable neutron-to-proton ratio (Figure 21.2). Can you propose a reason for its unusual stability?

(c) Collision of ions of isotope Q with a target was also used to produce the first atoms of livermorium, Lv. The initial product of this collision was ²⁹⁶₁₁₆Lv. What was the target isotope with which Q collided in this experiment?

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160 150 Nuclei with Z> 84, dominant decay mode = alpha emission * Bi (n/p = 1.52) 140 130 Nudei above belt of stability, dominant decay mode = beta emission 120 Nuclei below belt of stability, dominant decay mode = positron emission or electron capture 110 100 90 (n/p 1.40) 70 60 1:1 neutron- 50 to-proton ratio 40 30 Fe (n/p 1.15) 20 10 (n/p 1.00) 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Number of protons, p Number of neutrons, n