Element 64
Gadolinium (Gd)
Gadolinium (Gd) is element 64 of the periodic table, a lanthanide in period 6 (f-block) with an atomic mass of 157.25 and is a solid at standard conditions.
At a glance
- Atomic number
- 64
- Symbol
- Gd
- Atomic mass
- 157.25 u
- Category
- Lanthanides
- Period
- 6
- Block
- f-block
- Phase at STP
- solid
Electron structure
- Electron configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f7 5s2 5p6 5d1 6s2
- Shorthand configuration
- [Xe] 4f7 5d1 6s2
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 25, 9, 2
- Oxidation states
- +1, +2, +3
Physical properties
- Melting point
- 1585 K
- Boiling point
- 3546 K
- Density
- 7.895 g/cm3
- Phase
- solid
Atomic properties
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.2
- Atomic radius
- 233 pm
- Covalent radius
- 196 pm
- First ionization energy
- 593 kJ/mol
- Electron affinity
- 50 kJ/mol
Notable isotopes
| Isotope | Mass | Abundance | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gd-158 | 157.92411 | 24.84% | Stable |
Common uses
- MRI contrast agents
- Neutron capture therapy
- Magnets
- Nuclear reactors
Discovery
- Year
- 1880
- Discovered by
- Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac
- Country
- Switzerland