rutherfordium

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a synthetic radioactive chemical element with atomic number 104 and symbol Rf

   Rutherfordium has no stable isotopes and is produced only atom by atom.

Formed from Rutherford + -ium and named for physicist Ernest Rutherford. Rutherfordium became the internationally accepted name after a long dispute in which Soviet researchers proposed kurchatovium for element 104.

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