Four new elements complete seventh row of periodic table

The seventh row of the Periodic Table of Elements is now complete.

After reviewing the relevant literature submitted, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has confirmed the discovery of elements 113, 115, 117, and 118.

"These elements complete the seventh row of the periodic table of the elements, and the discoverers from Japan, Russia and the USA will now be invited to suggest permanent names and symbols," IUPAC said in statement.

"The chemistry community is eager to see its most cherished table finally being completed down to the seventh row. IUPAC has now initiated the process of formalizing names and symbols for these elements temporarily named as ununtrium, (Uut or element 113), ununpentium (Uup, element 115), ununseptium (Uus, element 117), and ununoctium  (Uuo, element 118)" said Professor Jan Reedijk, President of the Inorganic Chemistry Division of IUPAC.

Element 113 has the temporary working name "ununtrium" with the symbol "Uut". It was discovered by the RIKEN collaboration team in Japan

Element 115 has the temporary name of "ununpentium" and the symbol "Uup" while Element 117 has the proposed name"ununseptium" with "Uus" as its symbol.

They were discovered by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California; and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Meanwhile, Element 118  has the working name "ununoctium" with the symbol "Uuo". It was discovered by the JINR and the LLNL.

The proposed names and symbols will be checked by the Inorganic Chemistry Division of IUPAC for "consistency, translatability into other languages, possible prior historic use for other cases," and other criteria.

New elements can be named after a mythological concept, a mineral, a place or country, a property or a scientist.

After the division's approval, the names and two-letter symbols will be presented for public review for five months.

The IUPAC's Council will then make a final decision on the names of these new chemical elements, their two-letter symbols and their introduction into the Periodic Table of the Elements. —Trisha Macas/NB, GMA News