feynmanium

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The hypothetical chemical element with atomic number 137.

Word forms

feynmanium

Etymology

From Feynman + -ium. After Richard Feynman, who used a back-of-the-envelope calculation using classical physics to determine that element 137 is the last stably neutrally charged element, as larger elements would need electrons traveling faster than light to become neutral. (This problem goes away when relativity is considered.)

Synonyms

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