Lead (Pb)
Lead is element 82, a post-transition metal in group 14, period 6. A neutral atom has 82 protons, 125 neutrons and 82 electrons, 4 of them valence electrons.
Post-transition metal- Atomic number
- 82
- Atomic mass
- 207 u
- Valence electrons
- 4
- Protons · neutrons
- 82 · 125
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 4
- At room temperature
- solid
Bohr model of lead
The Bohr model draws lead as a nucleus of 82 protons and 125 neutrons, with its 82 electrons on 6 circular shells: 2 in shell 1, 8 in shell 2, 18 in shell 3, 32 in shell 4, 18 in shell 5, 4 in shell 6. Press Build the atom to watch the shells fill from the inside out. The outer ring (the P shell) is dashed: the electrons there are the ones that take part in chemistry.
Real electrons don't travel in neat circles. They live in fuzzy orbitals, shown below, but the Bohr picture is the quickest way to count shells and valence electrons.
Electron configuration of lead
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p²
Short form (noble gas notation): [Xe] 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p². The [Xe] stands for the electrons of xenon, the noble gas before it.
How many valence electrons does lead have?
Lead has 4 valence electrons.
Lead is in group 14, and for groups 13–18 you subtract 10 from the group number: 14 − 10 = 4. It tends to share electrons in covalent bonds.
Protons, neutrons and electrons
| Protons | 82 | equal to the atomic number |
|---|---|---|
| Electrons | 82 | equal to the protons in a neutral atom |
| Neutrons | 125 | mass number 207 − 82 protons |
Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). The count above uses the rounded atomic mass, the way it's taught in class.
Lead properties
| Symbol | Pb |
|---|---|
| Category | Post-transition metal |
| Group · period · block | 14 · 6 · p |
| Atomic mass | 207 u |
| State at 25 °C | solid |
| Melting point | 600.6 K (327 °C, 621 °F) |
| Boiling point | 2,022 K (1,750 °C, 3,180 °F) |
| Density | 11.342 g/cm³ |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | 2.33 |
| Atomic radius | 202 pm |
| First ionization energy | 7.417 eV |
| Electron affinity | 0.36 eV |
| Oxidation states | +4, +2 |
| Common ion charge | +4, +2 |
| Discovered | Known since ancient times |
Where lead sits on the periodic table
Group 14: Carbon, Silicon, Germanium, Tin, Flerovium.
Questions about lead
How many valence electrons does lead have?
Lead has 4 valence electrons.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does lead have?
A neutral lead atom has 82 protons and 82 electrons. Its most common form has about 125 neutrons (mass number 207 − 82 protons).
What is the electron configuration of lead?
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p², written in short form as [Xe] 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p².
What does the Bohr model of lead look like?
A nucleus of 82 protons and 125 neutrons, circled by 6 electron shells holding 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 4 electrons.
What is the atomic number of lead?
82. The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus, and it is what makes an atom lead.