Moscovium (Mc)
Moscovium is element 115, a post-transition metal in group 15, period 7. A neutral atom has 115 protons, 175 neutrons and 115 electrons, 5 of them valence electrons. Many of its properties are predicted, because only a few atoms have ever been made.
Post-transition metal- Atomic number
- 115
- Atomic mass
- [290] u
- Valence electrons
- 5
- Protons · neutrons
- 115 · 175
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 5
- At room temperature
- solid (expected)
Bohr model of moscovium
The Bohr model draws moscovium as a nucleus of 115 protons and 175 neutrons, with its 115 electrons on 7 circular shells: 2 in shell 1, 8 in shell 2, 18 in shell 3, 32 in shell 4, 32 in shell 5, 18 in shell 6, 5 in shell 7. Press Build the atom to watch the shells fill from the inside out. The outer ring (the Q 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 moscovium
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s² 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7p³
Short form (noble gas notation): [Rn] 7s² 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7p³. The [Rn] stands for the electrons of radon, the noble gas before it.
This configuration is predicted from calculations; it has not been measured.
How many valence electrons does moscovium have?
Moscovium has 5 valence electrons.
Moscovium is in group 15, and for groups 13–18 you subtract 10 from the group number: 15 − 10 = 5. It tends to share electrons in covalent bonds.
Protons, neutrons and electrons
| Protons | 115 | equal to the atomic number |
|---|---|---|
| Electrons | 115 | equal to the protons in a neutral atom |
| Neutrons | 175 | mass number 290 − 115 protons (for its longest-lived isotope, Mc-290) |
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.
Moscovium properties
| Symbol | Mc |
|---|---|
| Category | Post-transition metal |
| Group · period · block | 15 · 7 · p |
| Atomic mass | [290] u |
| State at 25 °C | solid (expected) |
| Melting point | — |
| Boiling point | — |
| Density | — |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | — |
| Atomic radius | — |
| First ionization energy | — |
| Electron affinity | — |
| Oxidation states | 3, 1 |
| Common ion charge | 3, 1 |
| Discovered | 2003 by Joint Institute for Nuclear Research |
Where moscovium sits on the periodic table
Group 15: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Arsenic, Antimony, Bismuth.
Questions about moscovium
How many valence electrons does moscovium have?
Moscovium has 5 valence electrons.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does moscovium have?
A neutral moscovium atom has 115 protons and 115 electrons. Its most common form has about 175 neutrons (mass number 290 − 115 protons).
What is the electron configuration of moscovium?
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s² 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7p³, written in short form as [Rn] 7s² 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7p³. This configuration is predicted, not measured.
What does the Bohr model of moscovium look like?
A nucleus of 115 protons and 175 neutrons, circled by 7 electron shells holding 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 5 electrons.
What is the atomic number of moscovium?
115. The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus, and it is what makes an atom moscovium.