Berkelium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the symbol Bk and atomic number 97. It is a member of the actinide and transuranium element series. It is named after the city of Berkeley, California, the location of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where it was discovered in December 1949.

How was berkelium created?

Berkelium was first made some 60 years ago by Stan Thomson, Al Ghiroso and Glen Seaborg by bombarding the isotope americium-241 with alpha particles. The half-life of the first isotope of berkelium to be produced in this way was a healthy 4.5 hours.

Where is berkelium most commonly found?

Abundance and Isotopes

Source: Berkelium is produced in miniscule amounts in nuclear reactors such as the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee by nuclear bombardment of plutonium, curium or americium with alpha particles.