Which statement is correct with reference to artificially produced elements?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) They are short-lived.

Explanation:

• Artificially produced elements, also known as synthetic elements, are typically created in laboratories or nuclear reactors by bombarding lighter elements with particles such as neutrons or protons.
• Most of these elements are short-lived because they are unstable and decay rapidly into lighter elements. This short lifespan is due to their large atomic nuclei, which make them prone to radioactive decay.
• Examples of artificially produced elements include elements with atomic numbers greater than 92 (like Plutonium, Uranium, Neptunium, etc.), which do not occur naturally in significant amounts on Earth.

Information Booster:

• Many of these synthetic elements have half-lives that range from microseconds to several years, and they typically decay through processes like alpha decay, beta decay, or fission.
• Artificially produced elements are usually created in particle accelerators or nuclear reactors, which provide the necessary conditions for nuclear reactions.

Additional Knowledge:
(b) They are long-lived: Most synthetic elements are short-lived due to their radioactive nature, although some can have half-lives of several years (e.g., Uranium-238).
(c) They are found in all groups of the table: While synthetic elements can be created in various groups, they are not found naturally in all groups. Many of them belong to specific categories like actinides or transition metals.
(d) They are stable like natural elements: Most synthetic elements are unstable and radioactive, unlike natural elements such as Carbon-12 or Oxygen, which are stable.