Name and Symbol of the Element with Atomic Number
112
Prepared for publication by K. Tatsumi and J. Corish
A joint IUPAC/IUPAP Working Party (JWP) has confirmed the discovery of the element with atomic number 112 and this by the collaboration of Hofmann et al. from the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung mbH (GSI) in Darmstadt, Germany. In accord with IUPAC procedures, the discoverers proposed a name, copernicium, and symbol, Cn, for the element. The Inorganic Chemistry Division now recommends these proposals for acceptance.
This proposal lies within the long tradition of naming elements to honour famous men of science. Nicolaus Copernicus was born on February 19th, 1473, in Torún, Poland and died on May 24th, 1543, in Frombork/Frauenburg. His work has been of exceptional influence on the philosophical and political thinking of mankind and on the rise of modern science based on experimental results.
