Polonium (Po)
[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁴. 2 unpaired electrons, period 6, group 16, p 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.
PoPolonium, Z = 84, [209] u
[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p4
In full: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁴
- Blockp block
- Period6
- Group16
- Valence6
- Unpaired2
- MagneticPara
Last electron 6p
- n6shell
- l1p subshell
- m−1orbital
- s−½spin down
Step by step
- Polonium has 84 electrons.
- Fill in (n + l) order: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁴.
- Write the subshells in order of n: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁴.
- Replace the xenon core with [Xe]: [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁴.
Polonium (Po): the numbers
| Atomic number | 84 |
|---|---|
| Atomic mass | [209] u |
| Period | 6 |
| Group | 16 |
| Block | p block |
| Valence electrons | 6 |
| Unpaired electrons | 2 |
| Magnetic | paramagnetic |
| Last electron | 6p: n = 6, l = 1, m = −1, s = −1/2 |
Polonium (Po): quick answers
What is the electronic configuration of polonium?
Polonium has 84 electrons: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁴, or [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁴ in short.
How many unpaired electrons does polonium have?
Polonium has 2 unpaired electrons, so it is paramagnetic. 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 polonium?
The last electron goes into 6p: n = 6, l = 1, m = −1, s = −1/2. Orbitals fill from m = −l up, spin +½ first.