24 The Copernicium
1 Pratiquer une langue vivante etrangere.
Copernicium is the chemical element having the
highest atomic number ever recorded. This element
was first created in 1996 by firing accelerated² Zn
nuclei at a target made of 282Pb nuclei in a heavy
ion accelerator. The atomic number of Copernicium
is 112 and its chemical formula is Cn. Its most stable
form has 285 nucleons.
Vocabulary: 1. recorded: enregistré; 2. firing accelerated: tir
accéléré; 3. target: cible; 4. heavy; lourd.
1. Translate then define the following words: chemical
element, nucleus (pl. nuclei).
2. Give the nuclear notation for the most stable Copernicium
atom.
3. Find a relation between the atomic numbers for coper-
nicium Cn, zinc Zn and lead Pb.
