When was technetium first discovered?
Quick Answer
Technetium was first identified in 1937 by Carlo Perrier and Emilio Segrè. It was the first element to be artificially produced rather than found naturally in useful amounts.
The Full Story
Technetium was discovered in 1937 by Carlo Perrier and Emilio Segrè after analyzing a sample from a molybdenum target that had been bombarded in a cyclotron. It became the first element produced artificially and then identified as a new element, filling a long-standing gap in the periodic table. Its discovery was significant because it showed that missing elements could be created in the laboratory. Technetium has no stable isotopes, which is why it does not occur naturally in large amounts on Earth.
Key Facts
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