Bk

Berkelium

Berkelium is a synthetic, radioactive element with atomic number 97. It is a member of the actinide series, appearing as a silvery-white metal. Berkelium was first produced in 1949 at the University of California, Berkeley. As the fifth transuranium element discovered, berkelium doesn’t occur naturally and is produced in minute quantities through nuclear reactions. Its most stable isotope, berkelium-247, has a half-life of about 1,380 years. Berkelium has limited practical applications outside of scientific research. It has been used in the synthesis of heavier elements and as a target in particle bombardment experiments.