Mercury (Hg): electron configuration, atomic mass and facts
Mercury (Hg) is element 80 of the periodic table, a transition metal in period 6, group 12. Its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2, with electrons arranged in shells 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2, and its standard atomic weight is 200.59 u.
💡 The only metal that is liquid at room temperature.
▶ Watch Mercury’s electrons orbit in the interactive periodic tableMercury at a glance
| Symbol | Hg |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 80 |
| Atomic mass | 200.59 u |
| Category | Transition metal |
| Group | 12 |
| Period | 6 |
| Block | d-block |
| Electron configuration | 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d10 6s2 |
| Noble-gas shorthand | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 |
| Electrons per shell | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2 |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | 2 |
| State at 20 °C | liquid |
Where is Mercury on the periodic table?
Mercury is in period 6, group 12, in the d-block. The period number matches its 6 electron shells, and the block names the subshell its last electrons fill. In the same group, Cadmium sits directly above it and Copernicium sits directly below it. Elements in the same column of the d-block often have similar chemistry.
How to work out the electron configuration of Mercury
Put 80 electrons into subshells in order of rising energy, filling each before starting the next: 1s² (2), 2s² (4), 2p⁶ (10), 3s² (12), 3p⁶ (18), 4s² (20), 3d¹⁰ (30), 4p⁶ (36), 5s² (38), 4d¹⁰ (48), 5p⁶ (54), 6s² (56), 4f¹⁴ (70), 5d¹⁰ (80). In shorthand, [Xe] stands for the 54 electrons of xenon, giving [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s².
How electronegative is Mercury?
Mercury has a Pauling electronegativity of 2, ranking 32 of the 100 elements with a known value (fluorine is highest at 3.98). That is in the middle of the range.
Mercury in the virtual lab
Faradium’s chemistry workbench includes these chemicals that contain mercury: Mercury(II) oxide. Open the Chemistry Lab to experiment with them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the electron configuration of Mercury?
The electron configuration of Mercury (Hg) is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d10 6s2. In noble-gas shorthand it is written [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2.
How many electrons does Mercury have in each shell?
Mercury has 80 electrons arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2.
What is the atomic mass of Mercury?
The standard atomic weight of Mercury is 200.59 u, so one mole of Mercury atoms has a mass of about 200.59 g.
Is Mercury a metal?
Yes. Mercury is a transition metal.
Explore nearby elements
More transition metals: Tungsten, Rhenium, Osmium, Iridium, Platinum, Gold. See all elements on the periodic table.