⏰ when
When was astatine first discovered?
Quick Answer
Astatine was first identified in 1940 by Dale Corson, Kenneth MacKenzie, and Emilio Segrè. It was the last naturally occurring element to be discovered.
The Full Story
Astatine was discovered in 1940 at the University of California, Berkeley by Corson, MacKenzie, and Segrè. They created it by bombarding bismuth with alpha particles and identified the new element through its radioactive decay. Astatine is extremely rare and highly radioactive, which is why it is difficult to study. It completed a major gap in the halogen family on the periodic table.
Key Facts
1.Discovered in 1940
2.Last naturally occurring element discovered
3.Extremely rare and radioactive
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The rarest halogen in the periodic table"
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