Is plutonium a metal?

Yes. Plutonium is a metal, classified as an actinide on the periodic table.

How many protons does plutonium have?

Plutonium has 94 protons. Its atomic number is 94, which is also the number of electrons in a neutral atom of plutonium.

What group and period is plutonium in?

Plutonium is in period 7 of the periodic table. As an actinide in the f-block, it sits in a separate row below the main table and has no standard group number.

What is the atomic mass of plutonium?

The atomic mass of plutonium is 244 u (unified atomic mass units).

Element 94

Plutonium (Pu)

Actinide · Period 7 · f-block

Plutonium (Pu) is element 94 of the periodic table, an actinide in period 7 (f-block) with an atomic mass of 244 and is a solid at standard conditions.

At a glance

Atomic number: 94
Symbol: Pu
Atomic mass: 244 u
Category: Actinides
Period: 7
Block: f-block
Phase at STP: solid

Electron structure

Electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d10 6s2 6p6 5f6 7s2
Shorthand configuration: [Rn] 5f6 7s2
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 32, 24, 8, 2
Oxidation states: +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, +7, +8

Physical properties

Melting point: 912.5 K (639.35 °C)
Boiling point: 3,501 K (3,227.85 °C)
Density: 19.84 g/cm³
Phase: solid

Atomic properties

Electronegativity (Pauling): 1.28
Atomic radius: 159 pm
Covalent radius: 187 pm
First ionization energy: 585 kJ/mol
Electron affinity: 53 kJ/mol

Notable isotopes

Notable isotopes of Plutonium: mass number, atomic mass, natural abundance, and stability.
Isotope	Mass	Abundance	Stability
Pu-244	244.0642	-	Half-life 80.8 million years

Common uses

Nuclear weapons
Nuclear power
Spacecraft power

Discovery

Year: 1940
Discovered by: Glenn T. Seaborg, Edwin McMillan, Joseph W. Kennedy, Arthur Wahl
Country: USA

Frequently asked questions

Is plutonium a metal?: Yes. Plutonium is a metal, classified as an actinide on the periodic table.
How many protons does plutonium have?: Plutonium has 94 protons. Its atomic number is 94, which is also the number of electrons in a neutral atom of plutonium.
What group and period is plutonium in?: Plutonium is in period 7 of the periodic table. As an actinide in the f-block, it sits in a separate row below the main table and has no standard group number.
What is the atomic mass of plutonium?: The atomic mass of plutonium is 244 u (unified atomic mass units).

Keep exploring

Plutonium's row is on the printable element property sheet, and its tile is on the periodic table wall chart - the same numbers as above, laid out for A4 or A3 paper.