Which of the following is the first artificially prepared element?

Question

Which of the following is the first artificially prepared element?

1. A. Te (Tellurium)
2. B. Tc (Technetium) (Correct answer)
3. C. Th (Thorium)
4. D. Tl (Thallium)

Correct Answer

Option B — Tc (Technetium)

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Tc (Technetium).

Key Points

• Technetium (Tc, atomic number 43) was the first element to be produced artificially (synthetically). It was created in 1937 by Carlo Perrier and Emilio Segrè by bombarding molybdenum with deuterons, and its name comes from the Greek *technetos* meaning 'artificial'.
• It is also notable for being the lightest element that has no stable isotope — all its isotopes are radioactive.

Additional Information

• Tellurium, Thorium and Thallium are all naturally occurring elements found in the Earth's crust.
• technetium filled a long-standing gap in Mendeleev's periodic table (he had predicted 'eka-manganese'), and today Tc-99m is widely used in medical imaging — making option (B) correct.