- an element of the manganese family, not found in nature, but obtained in the fission of uranium or by the bombardment of molybdenum. Symbol: Tc; atomic weight: 99; atomic number: 43; specific gravity: 11.5.
- a silvery-grey metallic element, artificially produced by bombardment of molybdenum by deuterons: used to inhibit corrosion in steel. The radioisotope technetium-99m, with a half-life of six hours, is used in radiotherapy. Symbol: Tc; atomic no: 43; half-life of most stable isotope, 97 Tc: 2.6 × 10 6 years; valency: 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, or 7; relative density: 11.50 (calculated); melting pt: 2204°C; boiling pt: 4265°C