Periodic table / Rutherfordium

Overview

Rutherfordium is a chemical element with symbol Rf and atomic number 104, named in honor of physicist Ernest Rutherford. It is a synthetic element (an element that can be created in a laboratory but is not found in nature) and radioactive; the most stable known isotope, 267Rf, has a half-life of approximately 1.3 hours. In the periodic table of the elements, it is a d - block element and the second of the fourth - row transition elements.

Electron configuration

The electron configuration of Rutherfordium is [Rn] 5f14 6d2 7s2, with electron shells of 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 10, 2.

Physical and chemical properties

Rutherfordium is classified as a transition metal. It has an atomic mass of 267 and exists as a solid at standard conditions.

Real-world uses of Rutherfordium

As a transition metal, Rutherfordium is typically used in alloys, industrial manufacturing, electronics, or as a catalyst in chemical reactions.

Interesting facts about Rutherfordium

• Rutherfordium has the atomic number 104 and chemical symbol Rf.
• It belongs to period 7, group 4 of the periodic table.
• Rutherfordium was discovered by Joint Institute for Nuclear Research.

Explore Rutherfordium interactively

Want to compare Rutherfordium with other elements or see it highlighted on the full table? Open the interactive periodic table and click on Rf to explore properties, trends, and neighboring elements. You can also test your knowledge with our periodic table quiz game.