Which two elements were first produced by Glenn Seaborg's group, and what are their chemical symbols?

• A. Neptunium (Np) and Californium (Cf)
• B. Plutonium (Pu) and Curium (Cm)
• C. Americium (Am) and Berkelium (Bk)
• D. Einsteinium (Es) and Fermium (Fm)

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the question is about the first two elements produced by Glenn Seaborg's research group, which involves the discovery of transuranium elements (elements beyond uranium in the periodic table).
2. Recall that Glenn Seaborg's group was instrumental in synthesizing several new elements, but the first two they produced were Plutonium (Pu) and Curium (Cm).
3. Recognize that Plutonium (Pu) was discovered during the Manhattan Project and is element 94, while Curium (Cm), element 96, was produced shortly after by neutron capture and alpha decay processes.
4. Note that other elements listed, such as Neptunium (Np) and Californium (Cf), Americium (Am) and Berkelium (Bk), and Einsteinium (Es) and Fermium (Fm), were discovered later or by different groups.
5. Therefore, the correct answer is Plutonium (Pu) and Curium (Cm), as they were the first two elements produced by Seaborg's group.