Why is this element important in everyday life?
Technetium is used in many different ways. Tc-95m is useful for tracer work. Tc-99m is used for imaging bones and blood-flow patterns in the heart. Technetium is a remarkable corrosion inhibitor for steel.
Where is this element found in nature?
Emilio Segre and Carlo Perrier discovered traces of technetium in a sample of Molybdenum that was bombarded by deuterons. It is a synthetically prepared element and is not found on earth. It is however found in the spectrum of S-, M-, and N-type stars. One way it is made is by heating ammonium pertechnetate and ammonium sulfate in hydrogen gas at 500 degrees Celsius to 600 degrees Celsius or by recovering 99Mo as a fission fragment from uranium target from a nuclear reactor. The Molybdenum is sent to a radiopharmacist.
What are the properties of the element?
General Characteristics =
Tecnetium is in a solid state at 298K. It is a silvery, metallic, gray color. It is a metal and it is radioactive. Its radioactive isotopes are: Tc-95, Tc-95m, Tc-96, Tc-97, Tc-97m, Tc-98, Tc-99, and Tc-99m.
Atomic Symbol = Tc
Period Number = 5
Group Number and Family Name =Group 7, Transition Metals
Atomic Number =43
Atomic Mass =98
Density =11.5g/cm3
Melting Point =2473K
Boiling Point =4538K
Electron Configuration =Tc-1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s24d5
Shorthand Notation =Tc-[K]5s24d5
Common Reactions =N/A
Interesting Information =Technetium is the first synthetically prepared element. It is a superconductor at 11 K and below. It dissolves in nitric acid, aqua regia, and concentrated sulfuric acid, but not in any concentration of hydrochloric acid. Technetium produces gamma rays. It tarnishes slowly in the air. The atomic radius is 136. The first ionization energy is 702 kJ/mol. The abundance in the earth's crust is 2*10-4%.
Who is Technetium ?
"So I'm radioactive, big deal. That doesn't make me a bad element, does it? Radioactivity isn't always something to be afraid of, right? Hey, I'm important, too. People don't go around saying, 'Now that Technetium, he's a great element.' I bet you've never even heard of me."
"Sorry about that. That was my little brother, Tc-95m. He flies off the handle whenever someone asks what Technetium is. He's a little sensitive about things like that. He's used for tracer work. See he's a little jealous of me. I'm Tc-99m. The humans use me for medical purposes. They use me for imaging bones and blood-flow patterns in the heart, but hey, tracer work is important, too (yeah right)."
"Hey, I heard that. You just watch. One of these days I'm going to rule the world."
"Calm down 95. You're an element, not human. You -"
"Oh, so just 'cause I'm an element I don't have feelings. You saying I don't matter?"
"Genius, you are matter. What I was going to say was that your man made. You try to take over the world and they'll destroy you. They put you in this world and they'll take you out if you don't stop yelling at everyone."
"You're pulling my chain. How could they do that?"
"So you want to know how we are made, huh? Well, they heat ammonium pertechnetate and ammonium sulfate in hydrogen gas at 500-600 degrees Celsius or they recover Mo-99 as a fission fragment from a uranium target from a nuclear reactor. Then it is sent to a radiopharmacist."
"Really? That's pretty spify!"
"Sure is. Zanzabar and Belzabar are here now so you better leave me alone."
"Or what?"
"Or I'll dissolve you in Nitric Acid."
"Mom!"
