Multi-purpose Fictional Chemical Element Needed
I am looking for some guidance in creating a chemical element. I want to know if it is scientifically plausible for a single fictional element to do all the things I need it to, even if at a stretch, and what sort of atomic mass and atomic number it would have? Or if I should just give in and not try to justify it?
The desired end results of this element are giant monsters, giant robots and attracting unwanted attention from space due to radiation signatures. So the necessary features of the element are;
Naturally occurring in the universe, rare though.
Primary source of energy for ecosystems evolved to consume it.
High potential energy output (Both within life evolved to consume it, and when harnessed by humans as a power source).
Capable of creating incredibly strong alloys.
Additional features that would be nice but not necessary;
Radiation produced isn't harmful but detectable.
Said radiation is capable of leaving the Earths atmosphere and being detected in outer space (Given sufficient travel time of course).
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1 answer
I would say yes. There's already a real-world element that does at least the first three and its name is uranium.
Naturally occurring in the universe, rare though.
Yep. In fact it's one of the heaviest naturally-occurring elements.
Primary source of energy for ecosystems evolved to consume it.
According to this answer on another question, there are indeed organisms that have evolved to use the radioactive decay of uranium as fuel.
High potential energy output (Both within life evolved to consume it, and when harnessed by humans as a power source).
Yep. The energy density of uranium is ridiculously high compared to stuff like coal, as this graph demonstrates.
Capable of creating incredibly strong alloys.
I don't know about incredibly strong, but I know that depleted uranium is incredibly dense.
Of course, if you're creating a fictional element, you can easily give it the first three properties, based on uranium, and then handwave #4 and #5 somehow.
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