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Why was element 112 named copernicium?
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zinc group element
Modern version of the periodic table of the elements (printable).
Copernicium (Cn), which is the element with atomic number 112, was named after the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
Following the recognition of the element's discovery by the Institute for Heavy Ion Research (GSI) in June 2009, the discoverers proposed the name to honor the astronomer. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) officially approved the name in February 2010.1