Chemical Element: californium
(Modern Latin: chemical element; first made at the University of California and named for California and the University of California in Berkeley; radioactive metal)
Chemical-Element Information
Symbol: CfAtomic number: 98
Year discovered: 1950
Discovered by: Glenn Theodore Seaborg (1912-1999), American physicist, Albert Ghiorso (born July 15, 1915), and Kenneth Street, in Berkeley, California.
- Metallic californium should be electropositive, reactive, and silver-colored like other actinide metals.
- Californium is a synthetic chemical element not found in nature.
- The discoverers suggested the name californium to honor the state and the university where the work was done.
Name in other languages:
French: californium
German: Californium
Italian: californio
Spanish: californio
Information about other elements may be seen at this Chemical Elements List.
A special unit about words that include chemo-, chem- may be seen here.