Neodymium (Nd)
Neodymium is element 60, a lanthanide in the lanthanide series (period 6). A neutral atom has 60 protons, 84 neutrons and 60 electrons, 2 of them valence electrons.
Lanthanide- Atomic number
- 60
- Atomic mass
- 144.24 u
- Valence electrons
- 2*
- Protons · neutrons
- 60 · 84
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 22, 8, 2
- At room temperature
- solid
Bohr model of neodymium
The Bohr model draws neodymium as a nucleus of 60 protons and 84 neutrons, with its 60 electrons on 6 circular shells: 2 in shell 1, 8 in shell 2, 18 in shell 3, 22 in shell 4, 8 in shell 5, 2 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 neodymium
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f⁴
Short form (noble gas notation): [Xe] 6s² 4f⁴. The [Xe] stands for the electrons of xenon, the noble gas before it.
How many valence electrons does neodymium have?
Neodymium has 2 valence electrons.
Neodymium is a lanthanide, so its valence electrons are less clear-cut than for main-group elements. It has 2 electrons in its outermost shell (shell 6), and electrons in its inner f and d subshell can also take part in bonding.
Protons, neutrons and electrons
| Protons | 60 | equal to the atomic number |
|---|---|---|
| Electrons | 60 | equal to the protons in a neutral atom |
| Neutrons | 84 | mass number 144 − 60 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.
Neodymium properties
| Symbol | Nd |
|---|---|
| Category | Lanthanide |
| Group · period · block | — · 6 · f |
| Atomic mass | 144.24 u |
| State at 25 °C | solid |
| Melting point | 1,294 K (1,020 °C, 1,870 °F) |
| Boiling point | 3,347 K (3,070 °C, 5,560 °F) |
| Density | 7.01 g/cm³ |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | 1.14 |
| Atomic radius | 229 pm |
| First ionization energy | 5.525 eV |
| Electron affinity | — |
| Oxidation states | +3 |
| Common ion charge | +3 |
| Discovered | 1885 by Carl Auer von Welsbach |
Where neodymium sits on the periodic table
Lanthanides: Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium.
Questions about neodymium
How many valence electrons does neodymium have?
Neodymium has 2 valence electrons in its outer shell; inner d or f electrons can also bond.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does neodymium have?
A neutral neodymium atom has 60 protons and 60 electrons. Its most common form has about 84 neutrons (mass number 144 − 60 protons).
What is the electron configuration of neodymium?
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f⁴, written in short form as [Xe] 6s² 4f⁴.
What does the Bohr model of neodymium look like?
A nucleus of 60 protons and 84 neutrons, circled by 6 electron shells holding 2, 8, 18, 22, 8, 2 electrons.
What is the atomic number of neodymium?
60. The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus, and it is what makes an atom neodymium.