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Californium

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Californium Quick Reference

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Notes

Symbol

Cf

Atomic Number

98

Oxidation States

5

unverified

4

less common

3

more common

2

less common

Pauling Electronegativity

1.3

Electron Configuration

Orbital Occupancy

[Rn] 5f10 7s2

[Rn] represents the closed-shell electron configuration of radon

Orbital Filling Order

[Rn] 7s2 5f10

[Rn] represents the closed-shell electron configuration of radon

Term Symbol

5I8

see expanded configuration ...

Ionization Energies

I  (1)

 6.2817 eV

II (2)

11.8 eV   

Density

solid, 25 °C

15.100 g/cm3

Molar Volume

solid, 298 K, 1 atm

16.50 cm3/mol

Melting Point

1173 ± 30 K

Thermal Conductivity

solid, 300 K

10 W/(m K)

estimated

Pyykkö Covalent Radius

single bond

168 pm

double bond

140 pm

Quantity

Californium Atomic Structure

Notes

Ionization Energies

I  (1)

 6.2817 eV

II (2)

11.8 eV   

Electron Binding Energies

K    (1s)

134939 ± 7 eV 

LI   (2s)

 26010 ± 7 eV 

LII  (2p1/2)

 25108 ± 5 eV 

LIII (2p3/2)

 19907 ± 5 eV 

see all 24 energies ...

Electron Configuration

Orbital Occupancy

[Rn] 5f10 7s2

[Rn] represents the closed-shell electron configuration of radon

Orbital Filling Order

[Rn] 7s2 5f10

[Rn] represents the closed-shell electron configuration of radon

Term Symbol

5I8

see expanded configuration ...

Fluorescence Yields

ωK

0.972

ωL1

0.244

ωL2

0.490

ωL3

0.560

Coster-Kronig Yields

F12

0.03 

F13

0.54 

F23

0.197

Quantity

Californium Physical Properties

Notes

Density

solid, 25 °C

15.100 g/cm3

Molar Volume

solid, 298 K, 1 atm

16.50 cm3/mol

Physical Form

hexagonal or cubic metal

Quantity

Californium Atomic Interaction

Notes

Oxidation States

5

unverified

4

less common

3

more common

2

less common

Pauling Electronegativity

1.3

Allred-Rochow Electronegativity

1.2

Nagle Electronegativity

1.13

Quantity

Californium Thermodynamics

Notes

Melting Point

1173 ± 30 K

Thermal Conductivity

solid, 300 K

10 W/(m K)

estimated

Quantity

Californium Identification

Notes

CAS Number

7440-71-3

Quantity

Californium Atomic Size

Notes

Orbital Radius

159.8 pm

Pyykkö Covalent Radius

single bond

168 pm

double bond

140 pm

Shannon-Prewitt Crystal Radius

ion charge: +3, coordination number: 6

109 pm  

ion charge: +4

coordination number: 6

 96.1 pm

coordination number: 8

106 pm  

Shannon-Prewitt Effective Ionic Radius

ion charge: +3, coordination number: 6

95 pm  

ion charge: +4

coordination number: 6

82.1 pm

coordination number: 8

92 pm  

Quantity

Californium Crystal Structure

Notes

Allotropes

allotrope

α-californium

symbol

αCf

allotrope

β-californium

symbol

βCf

Quantity

Californium History

Notes

Discovery

date of discovery

1950

discoverer

Stanley G. Thompson

death

July 16, 1976

discoverer

Kenneth Street, Jr.

death

1976

discoverer

Albert Ghiorso

birth

July 15, 1915

discoverer

Glenn Theodore Seaborg

birth

April 19, 1912

death

February 25, 1999

location of discovery

Berkeley, California

Origin of Element Name

origin

California

origin description

place—U.S. state

Origin of Element Symbol

symbol: Cf

origin

californium

origin description

element name

Quantity

Californium Nomenclature

Notes

Element Names in Other Languages

French

californium

German

Californium

Italian

californio

Spanish

californio

Portuguese

califórnio

Anions or Anionic Substituent Groups

californide

Cations or Cationic Substituent Groups

californium

Ligands

californido

Heteroatomic Anion

californate

'a' Term—Substitutive Nomenclature

californa

'y' Term—Chains and Rings Nomenclature

californy

References    (Click the button next to a value above to see complete citation information for that entry)

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