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115Mc[290]
Superheavy / Unknownsolid at STPP-block

Moscovium

Group: 15•Period: 7•Standard Atomic Weight: [290] u
Open Full Periodic TableView Bohr Model

Why is Moscovium in this position?

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

Group Assignment
Group 15

Belongs to Group 15 (Pnictogens) as the 7p homologue of Bismuth (7s² 7p³).

Period Assignment
Period 7

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

Orbital Block
P-block

Belongs to the p-block because its valence electrons fill 7p orbitals.

Chemical Category
Superheavy / Unknown

Classified as a superheavy post-transition metal.

Atomic Structure & Bohr Shell Model

Shell Distribution: [2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 5]

Bohr Atomic Shell Model(2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 5)

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

115 Protons (p⁺)175 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 5Shell Q: Electron 2 of 5Shell Q: Electron 3 of 5Shell Q: Electron 4 of 5Shell Q: Electron 5 of 5McZ = 115

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):5 / 98 electrons (5%)
Aufbau Electron Configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 5f¹⁴ 6s² 6p⁶ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p³

Neutral ground state configuration. Valence electrons: 5.

Atomic & Quantum Properties

Electronegativity (Pauling)Not available
1st Ionization Energy538.4 kJ/mol
Electron Affinity-35.3 kJ/mol
Atomic Radius (empirical)138 pm
Common Oxidation States+1, +3
Crystal StructureBCC (predicted)

Physical & Thermal Properties

Density at STP13.5 g/cm³ (predicted)
Melting Point400 °C (673 K)
Boiling Point1100 °C (1373 K)
Magnetic OrderingParamagnetic
Discovery Year2003
Discovered ByJoint Institute for Nuclear Research (Dubna) & Lawrence Livermore National Lab

Real-World Uses, Occurrence & Compounds

Major Industrial & Everyday Uses
  • Pure scientific research in heavy-ion synthesis and superheavy decay spectroscopy
Occurrence in Nature

Synthesized in heavy-ion cyclotrons by bombarding Americium-243 with Calcium-48 ions.

Etymology & Name Origin

Named after Moscow Oblast, the historic Russian region where the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research is situated

Important Chemical Compounds
None (only isolated atoms produced)
Interesting Chemical Facts
  • • Moscovium was discovered in 2003 in Dubna, Moscow Oblast, and its alpha decay directly confirmed the existence of Nihonium.
  • • The longest-lived isotope, Moscovium-290, has a half-life of 0.65 seconds, decaying via alpha emission.
  • • Relativistic spin-orbit splitting causes Moscovium's single unpaired 7p₃/₂ electron to be loosely bound, making the +1 oxidation state much more stable than in bismuth.
Safety & Handling Note

Extremely radioactive; exists only momentarily in accelerator detectors.

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