Q.Which element do you think would have been named by

Concept: Element Nomenclature — elements are often named after places, scientists, or laboratories to honour their discovery or origin.

(i) Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory → The element Lawrencium (Lr, atomic number 103) is named after Ernest O. Lawrence, founder of the Berkeley lab. …

Element Nomenclature: The Why

Element names aren’t random — they’re a blend of tradition, politics, and scientific honour. Before the 20th century, discoverers often named elements after themselves, their homeland, or a property (like Chlorine from Greek chloros for green). But by the mid-1900s, with the race to synthesise transuranium elements, naming became a diplomatic minefield.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) now sets the rules: a name must be derived from a person (usually a scientist), a place (country, city, laboratory), a mythological concept, or a property of the element. The discoverer proposes the name, but it must be approved by IUPAC.

Now, let’s apply this to the two groups in question.

(i) Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in California has a storied history of discovering heavy elements. Their naming pattern is clear from their past successes:

• Berkelium (Bk, Z=97) — named after Berkeley, the city where the lab is located.
• Californium (Cf, Z=98) — named after the state of California.
• Lawrencium (Lr, Z=103) — named after Ernest O. Lawrence, the lab’s founder and inventor of the cyclotron.

So, what would they name a new element? They’d likely follow one of two paths:

1. Honour a key figure: After Lawrence, they might name it after another prominent physicist associated with the lab, like Glenn T. Seaborg (who worked there) or Albert Ghiorso (a prolific discoverer). But Seaborg already has Seaborgium (Sg, Z=106), so perhaps Ghiorsium (Gh) or Seaborgium (if not already taken — but it is).

2. Use a place name: They could name it after the lab itself — Berkeleium (though Berkelium already exists) or Lawrencium (already taken). A more creative option: Alamedium after Alameda County, or Californium (already taken). So the most likely new name would be something like Ghiorsium (after Albert Ghiorso) or Seaborgium (if not already used — but it is, so maybe Lawrenceium? No, Lawrencium exists).

Given the pattern, the most plausible new name from LBNL would be Ghiorsium (after Albert Ghiorso) or Berkeleium (if they wanted to honour the lab again, but Berkelium already exists). However, since Berkelium and Lawrencium are taken, and Seaborgium is taken, the next logical choice is Ghiorsium (Gh).

(ii) Seaborg’s Group

Glenn T. Seaborg led the team that discovered plutonium, americium, curium, berkelium, californium, einsteinium, fermium, mendelevium, nobelium, and seaborgium. His group’s naming pattern is distinct:

• Americium (Am, Z=95) — named after the Americas (continent).
• Curium (Cm, Z=96) — named after Marie and Pierre Curie.
• Berkelium (Bk, Z=97) — named after Berkeley (place).
• Californium (Cf, Z=98) — named after California (place).
• Einsteinium (Es, Z=99) — named after Albert Einstein.
• Fermium (Fm, Z=100) — named after Enrico Fermi.
• Mendelevium (Md, Z=101) — named after Dmitri Mendeleev.
• Nobelium (No, Z=102) — named after Alfred Nobel.
• Lawrencium (Lr, Z=103) — named after Ernest Lawrence.
• Seaborgium (Sg, Z=106) — named after Glenn Seaborg himself.

The pattern is clear: they honoured famous scientists (Curie, Einstein, Fermi, Mendeleev, Nobel, Lawrence, Seaborg) and places (Americas, Berkeley, California). So what would they name a new element? …