Mercury (Hg)
[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s². 0 unpaired electrons, period 6, group 12, d block.
Element or ion
Type a symbol, a name or an atomic number, add a charge such as Fe3+ or Cl-, or tap an element in the table. Orbitals fill from m = −l up, spin +½ first.
HgMercury, Z = 80, 200.592 u
[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2
In full: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s²
- Blockd block
- Period6
- Group12
- Valence12
- Unpaired0
- MagneticDia
Last electron 5d
- n5shell
- l2d subshell
- m+2orbital
- s−½spin down
Step by step
- Mercury has 80 electrons.
- Fill in (n + l) order: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰.
- Write the subshells in order of n: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s².
- Replace the xenon core with [Xe]: [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s².
Mercury (Hg): the numbers
| Atomic number | 80 |
|---|---|
| Atomic mass | 200.592 u |
| Period | 6 |
| Group | 12 |
| Block | d block |
| Valence electrons | 12 |
| Unpaired electrons | 0 |
| Magnetic | diamagnetic |
| Last electron | 5d: n = 5, l = 2, m = +2, s = −1/2 |
Mercury (Hg): quick answers
What is the electronic configuration of mercury?
Mercury has 80 electrons: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s², or [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² in short.
How many unpaired electrons does mercury have?
Mercury has 0 unpaired electrons, so it is diamagnetic. Put one electron in each box of a subshell before pairing (Hund’s rule) to see them.
What are the quantum numbers of the last electron of mercury?
The last electron goes into 5d: n = 5, l = 2, m = +2, s = −1/2. Orbitals fill from m = −l up, spin +½ first.