What Is Tennessine?
Tennessine is a chemical element with the symbol Ts and atomic number 117, one of the five stable halogens in Group 17.
Named after Tennessee, home of Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
As a halogen in Period 7 and Group 17 (Halogens), tennessine's placement on the table reflects its electron configuration of [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p⁵, which governs its bonding behavior and the type of compounds it typically forms.
Position on the Periodic Table
Tennessine is located in Period 7, the bottom row of the standard periodic table, consisting largely of radioactive and synthetic elements.
Within that row, tennessine sits in Group 17 (Halogens), alongside elements that share a similar number of valence electrons and, by extension, similar chemical behavior.
This position is not arbitrary — the periodic table was deliberately organized so that an element's row and column reveal its expected reactivity, bonding pattern, and physical state at a glance.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Tennessine has an atomic mass of (294) u and a density of ~7.17 g/cm³.
Tennessine is highly reactive, readily gaining a single electron to complete its outer shell and form a stable halide ion.
Electron Configuration Explained
Tennessine's electron configuration is [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p⁵, describing how its electrons are distributed across shells and subshells around the nucleus.
Reading the configuration in order shows electrons filling shells of increasing energy, following the standard Aufbau principle that explains how atomic structure builds up across the periodic table.
The outermost (valence) electrons shown in this configuration are what ultimately determine tennessine's chemical reactivity and the type of bonds it forms with other elements.
History & Discovery
Tennessine was formally discovered in 2010, Oganessian, identified through the careful isolation and analytical techniques typical of that era's chemical research.
Many elements from this period were anticipated by Dmitri Mendeleev's periodic table, which successfully predicted gaps corresponding to undiscovered elements well before laboratory instruments existed to confirm them directly.
What Is Tennessine Used For?
Tennessine's specific properties make it useful in several applications, including:
- Research only
- Nuclear physics
- Scientific study
- No practical uses
- Academic research
These uses reflect tennessine's underlying classification as a halogen, since the same properties that define its category in chemistry also determine where it becomes practically useful.
Fun Facts About Tennessine
- Tennessine was created by a collaboration between Russia and three US institutions in Tennessee.
- Tennessine is element number 117 on the periodic table, in Period 7 and Group 17.
- Its standard atomic mass is (294) u, calculated from the natural abundance of its isotopes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tennessine's atomic number?
Tennessine has atomic number 117.
What is Tennessine's chemical symbol?
Tennessine's symbol is Ts.
What group and period is Tennessine in?
Tennessine is in Period 7, Group 17 (Halogens).
What is Tennessine's atomic mass?
Tennessine's standard atomic mass is (294) u.