Palladium (Pd): electron configuration, atomic mass and facts
Palladium (Pd) is element 46 of the periodic table, a transition metal in period 5, group 10. Its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d10, with electrons arranged in shells 2, 8, 18, 18, and its standard atomic weight is 106.42 u.
▶ Watch Palladium’s electrons orbit in the interactive periodic tablePalladium at a glance
| Symbol | Pd |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 46 |
| Atomic mass | 106.42 u |
| Category | Transition metal |
| Group | 10 |
| Period | 5 |
| Block | d-block |
| Electron configuration | 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 |
| Noble-gas shorthand | [Kr] 4d10 |
| Electrons per shell | 2, 8, 18, 18 |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | 2.2 |
| State at 20 °C | solid |
Where is Palladium on the periodic table?
Palladium is in period 5, group 10, in the d-block. In its ground state only 4 electron shells hold electrons (its period-5 shell is empty), and the block names the subshell its last electrons fill. In the same group, Nickel sits directly above it and Platinum 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 Palladium
Put 46 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), 4d⁸ (46). Palladium is one of the exceptions to this filling order: experiments show its ground state is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ rather than 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d⁸, because the neighbouring subshells are so close in energy. In shorthand, [Kr] stands for the 36 electrons of krypton, giving [Kr] 4d¹⁰.
How electronegative is Palladium?
Palladium has a Pauling electronegativity of 2.2, ranking 17 of the 100 elements with a known value (fluorine is highest at 3.98). That is in the middle of the range.
Frequently asked questions
What is the electron configuration of Palladium?
The electron configuration of Palladium (Pd) is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10. In noble-gas shorthand it is written [Kr] 4d10.
How many electrons does Palladium have in each shell?
Palladium has 46 electrons arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 18.
What is the atomic mass of Palladium?
The standard atomic weight of Palladium is 106.42 u, so one mole of Palladium atoms has a mass of about 106.42 g.
Is Palladium a metal?
Yes. Palladium is a transition metal.
Explore nearby elements
More transition metals: Molybdenum, Technetium, Ruthenium, Rhodium, Silver, Cadmium. See all elements on the periodic table.