atomic number 87
- noun
- /əˈtɑːmɪk ˈnʌmbər ˈeɪtiˈsɛvən/
- Specialized
- The atomic number 87 corresponds to francium.
Examples
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Scientists rarely work with atomic number 87 because it is extremely unstable and radioactive.
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The discovery of atomic number 87 added a new element to the periodic table.
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Due to its scarcity, atomic number 87 has limited practical applications in research.
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Can you explain atomic number 87?
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Scientists rarely work with atomic number 87 because it is extremely unstable and radioactive.
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Due to its scarcity, atomic number 87 has limited practical applications in research.
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The atomic number 87 corresponds to francium.
Synonyms
A chemical symbol for francium, a very rare radioactive metal
A very rare metal that is highly radioactive and exists only in tiny amounts in nature
Surface Forms
Morphology
atomic + number + eighty-seven
The constituents 'atomic' + 'number' + 'eighty-seven' transparently indicate a numerical identifier related to atoms (i.e. an atomic identifier with value 87), so learners will grasp it refers to an atomic/chemical label. However, mapping that identifier to the specific element name 'francium' requires background knowledge of the periodic table, so the full referent is not predictable from the words alone.
Etymology
Atomic number 87 names the element 'francium'. The label atomic number tells you how many protons an atom has and the number 87 means 87 protons, so atomic number 87 points to the rare, very radioactive metal 'francium'.