Detailed Nomenclature of Elements with Atomic Numbers > 100
The naming of new elements, especially those with atomic numbers greater than 100, has traditionally rested on the discoverer, whose suggested names were sanctioned by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). However, due to the fleeting nature and instability of these elements, resulting in only minute quantities available for study, there have been instances of contention regarding the credit for their discovery. For example, both American and Soviet scientists claimed the discovery of element 104, naming it Rutherfordium and Kurchatovium, respectively. To mitigate such controversies, IUPAC adopted a systematic nomenclature based on the atomic numbers of elements. This involves creating a name from numerical roots associated with the digits of the atomic number, a process detailed in Table 3.4, where roots for atomic numbers 0 through 9 are represented as 'nil' for 0, and 'un' for 1 up to 'enn' for 9. The resultant names typically end with 'ium'. Thus, element 101 became Unnilunium (Unu), while 104 was dubbed Unnilquadium (Unq) before being ultimately recognized as Rutherfordium (Rf).
IUPAC ensures that new elements receive a temporary systematic name while awaiting official approval of their permanent names, often reflective of either the name of the discoverer or related tributes. As of now, all elements with atomic numbers up to 118 have been assigned names and symbols.