#112 / 118
112Cn[285]
Superheavy / Unknownliquid at STPD-block

Copernicium

Group: 12•Period: 7•Standard Atomic Weight: [285] u
Open Full Periodic TableView Bohr Model

Why is Copernicium in this position?

Understanding the scientific rationale behind Copernicium's position in the periodic table:

Group Assignment
Group 12

Belongs to Group 12 as the 6d homologue of Zinc, Cadmium, and Mercury (6d¹⁰ 7s²).

Period Assignment
Period 7

Belongs to Period 7 because its outermost electrons occupy n=7.

Orbital Block
D-block

Belongs to the d-block where the 6d transition series concludes.

Chemical Category
Superheavy / Unknown

Classified as a superheavy group 12 element exhibiting dramatic relativistic volatility.

Atomic Structure & Bohr Shell Model

Shell Distribution: [2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 2]

Bohr Atomic Shell Model(2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 2)

Hover or tap any shell orbit ring to inspect electron counts and 2n² capacities.

112 Protons (p⁺)173 Neutrons (n⁰)
KShell K: Electron 1 of 2Shell K: Electron 2 of 2LShell L: Electron 1 of 8Shell L: Electron 2 of 8Shell L: Electron 3 of 8Shell L: Electron 4 of 8Shell L: Electron 5 of 8Shell L: Electron 6 of 8Shell L: Electron 7 of 8Shell L: Electron 8 of 8MShell M: Electron 1 of 18Shell M: Electron 2 of 18Shell M: Electron 3 of 18Shell M: Electron 4 of 18Shell M: Electron 5 of 18Shell M: Electron 6 of 18Shell M: Electron 7 of 18Shell M: Electron 8 of 18Shell M: Electron 9 of 18Shell M: Electron 10 of 18Shell M: Electron 11 of 18Shell M: Electron 12 of 18Shell M: Electron 13 of 18Shell M: Electron 14 of 18Shell M: Electron 15 of 18Shell M: Electron 16 of 18Shell M: Electron 17 of 18Shell M: Electron 18 of 18NShell N: Electron 1 of 32Shell N: Electron 2 of 32Shell N: Electron 3 of 32Shell N: Electron 4 of 32Shell N: Electron 5 of 32Shell N: Electron 6 of 32Shell N: Electron 7 of 32Shell N: Electron 8 of 32Shell N: Electron 9 of 32Shell N: Electron 10 of 32Shell N: Electron 11 of 32Shell N: Electron 12 of 32Shell N: Electron 13 of 32Shell N: Electron 14 of 32Shell N: Electron 15 of 32Shell N: Electron 16 of 32Shell N: Electron 17 of 32Shell N: Electron 18 of 32Shell N: Electron 19 of 32Shell N: Electron 20 of 32Shell N: Electron 21 of 32Shell N: Electron 22 of 32Shell N: Electron 23 of 32Shell N: Electron 24 of 32Shell N: Electron 25 of 32Shell N: Electron 26 of 32Shell N: Electron 27 of 32Shell N: Electron 28 of 32Shell N: Electron 29 of 32Shell N: Electron 30 of 32Shell N: Electron 31 of 32Shell N: Electron 32 of 32OShell O: Electron 1 of 32Shell O: Electron 2 of 32Shell O: Electron 3 of 32Shell O: Electron 4 of 32Shell O: Electron 5 of 32Shell O: Electron 6 of 32Shell O: Electron 7 of 32Shell O: Electron 8 of 32Shell O: Electron 9 of 32Shell O: Electron 10 of 32Shell O: Electron 11 of 32Shell O: Electron 12 of 32Shell O: Electron 13 of 32Shell O: Electron 14 of 32Shell O: Electron 15 of 32Shell O: Electron 16 of 32Shell O: Electron 17 of 32Shell O: Electron 18 of 32Shell O: Electron 19 of 32Shell O: Electron 20 of 32Shell O: Electron 21 of 32Shell O: Electron 22 of 32Shell O: Electron 23 of 32Shell O: Electron 24 of 32Shell O: Electron 25 of 32Shell O: Electron 26 of 32Shell O: Electron 27 of 32Shell O: Electron 28 of 32Shell O: Electron 29 of 32Shell O: Electron 30 of 32Shell O: Electron 31 of 32Shell O: Electron 32 of 32PShell P: Electron 1 of 18Shell P: Electron 2 of 18Shell P: Electron 3 of 18Shell P: Electron 4 of 18Shell P: Electron 5 of 18Shell P: Electron 6 of 18Shell P: Electron 7 of 18Shell P: Electron 8 of 18Shell P: Electron 9 of 18Shell P: Electron 10 of 18Shell P: Electron 11 of 18Shell P: Electron 12 of 18Shell P: Electron 13 of 18Shell P: Electron 14 of 18Shell P: Electron 15 of 18Shell P: Electron 16 of 18Shell P: Electron 17 of 18Shell P: Electron 18 of 18QShell Q: Electron 1 of 2Shell Q: Electron 2 of 2CnZ = 112

Educational Note: This Niels Bohr planetary model visually illustrates principal quantum energy shells ($n=1, 2, 3\dots$) and electron counts. In modern quantum mechanics (Schrödinger model), electrons do not orbit in fixed circular planetary tracks, but exist as 3D probability clouds (orbitals: $s, p, d, f$) governed by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

Electron Shell Filling Breakdown

Shell K (n=1):2 / 2 electrons (100%)
Shell L (n=2):8 / 8 electrons (100%)
Shell M (n=3):18 / 18 electrons (100%)
Shell N (n=4):32 / 32 electrons (100%)
Shell O (n=5):32 / 50 electrons (64%)
Shell P (n=6):18 / 72 electrons (25%)
Shell Q (n=7):2 / 98 electrons (2%)
Aufbau Electron Configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 5f¹⁴ 6s² 6p⁶ 6d¹⁰ 7s²

Neutral ground state configuration. Valence electrons: 2.

Atomic & Quantum Properties

Electronegativity (Pauling)Not available
1st Ionization Energy1155 kJ/mol
Electron Affinity0 kJ/mol
Atomic Radius (empirical)122 pm
Common Oxidation States+2, 0
Crystal StructureHCP (predicted)

Physical & Thermal Properties

Density at STP14.0 g/cm³ (predicted liquid/gas)
Melting Point10 °C (283 K)
Boiling Point67 °C (340 K)
Magnetic OrderingDiamagnetic
Discovery Year1996
Discovered ByGSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (Sigurd Hofmann team)

Real-World Uses, Occurrence & Compounds

Major Industrial & Everyday Uses
  • Pure scientific research on relativistic electronic closure and noble metal behavior
Occurrence in Nature

Synthesized in heavy-ion accelerators by bombarding Lead-208 with Zinc-70 ions.

Etymology & Name Origin

Named in honor of Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, founder of heliocentric astronomy

Important Chemical Compounds
None (single atoms adsorbed on gold detectors)
Interesting Chemical Facts
  • • Copernicium is predicted to boil at around 67 °C, making it potentially the only gaseous metal under ambient room conditions!
  • • Single-atom thermochromatography experiments at GSI and PSI showed that copernicium is more volatile than mercury, binding only weakly to gold surfaces like a pseudo-noble gas.
  • • Sigurd Hofmann and the discovery team dedicated the element to Nicolaus Copernicus to honor the scientist who put the Sun at the center of the solar system.
Safety & Handling Note

Highly radioactive; exists only in particle accelerator target chambers.

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