As a matter of fact, physicists need to accelerate the right kind of particle and shoot it with the right kind of energy on a target made out of the right kind of material. It is important to pay attention to many details.
Yes. It's just really difficult and expensive to do so.
The last element to be synthesized was Ununoctium, element #118, by a Russian team in 2002. An American team also accomplished it in 2006.
However, any new elements would start at #119 because of the very nature of elements. Elements are chemically defined by the number of protons they have, and protons only come in whole numbers. Trying to created a new element between Hydrogen and Helium would be just as impossible as having a new counting number between 1 and 2.
The reason why it's so tough is that as atoms get more protons, they need more neutrons to glue them together (that's the strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force working together). However, as atomic nuclei get larger, they get more unstable and subject to radioactive decay. Once decay happens, they turn into another element (either up 1 for beta decay or down 2 for alpha decay). The bigger the nuclei, the faster that generally happens. To get to 119 (the next one to be synthesized) you have to start at #92 (Uranium, which is plentiful), create some Plutonium (which is all man-synthesized) and work up 2 at a time until you get the one you want with the likelihood that if you're not quick, all the steps in the chain will start decaying.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
Yes
Explanation:
As a matter of fact, physicists need to accelerate the right kind of particle and shoot it with the right kind of energy on a target made out of the right kind of material. It is important to pay attention to many details.
Yes. It's just really difficult and expensive to do so.
The last element to be synthesized was Ununoctium, element #118, by a Russian team in 2002. An American team also accomplished it in 2006.
However, any new elements would start at #119 because of the very nature of elements. Elements are chemically defined by the number of protons they have, and protons only come in whole numbers. Trying to created a new element between Hydrogen and Helium would be just as impossible as having a new counting number between 1 and 2.
The reason why it's so tough is that as atoms get more protons, they need more neutrons to glue them together (that's the strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force working together). However, as atomic nuclei get larger, they get more unstable and subject to radioactive decay. Once decay happens, they turn into another element (either up 1 for beta decay or down 2 for alpha decay). The bigger the nuclei, the faster that generally happens. To get to 119 (the next one to be synthesized) you have to start at #92 (Uranium, which is plentiful), create some Plutonium (which is all man-synthesized) and work up 2 at a time until you get the one you want with the likelihood that if you're not quick, all the steps in the chain will start decaying.