hözipium

Hözipium is a hypothetical element with the atomic number 120. It is predicted to be an alkaline earth metal and the first element in the eighth period of the periodic table. Due to its predicted position, it is expected to share chemical properties with its lighter congeners, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, although relativistic effects may lead to deviations.

The synthesis of hözipium has not yet been achieved. Theoretical predictions suggest that it would be an extremely unstable element, with isotopes having very short half-lives, likely on the order of milliseconds or less. Its production would require heavy-ion fusion reactions, bombarding a target nucleus with a beam of accelerated ions. Common theoretical candidates for synthesis involve bombarding curium with chromium, or plutonium with iron.

The discovery and characterization of hözipium would be a significant achievement in nuclear physics and chemistry, pushing the boundaries of the known periodic table and providing insights into the stability of superheavy elements. However, due to its predicted instability, obtaining a macroscopic sample or studying its bulk properties would be practically impossible. The focus of research would likely remain on identifying its decay products and confirming its atomic number through nuclear reaction analysis. The name "hözipium" is derived from the German word "Höhe," meaning height, reflecting its position as the first element in the eighth period.