Zinc (Zn)
Coating steel in zinc (galvanizing) protects it from rust, even where the coating is scratched.
Zinc properties
- Atomic mass
- 65.38 u
- Category
- Transition metal
- Group
- 12
- Period
- 4
- Block
- d-block
- State at room temp.
- Solid
- Electronegativity
- 1.65
- Melting point
- 692.68 K (419.5 °C)
- Boiling point
- 1,180 K (906.8 °C)
- Density
- 7.14 g/cm³
- Atomic radius
- 139 pm
- Ionization energy
- 9.394 eV
- Electron affinity
- —
- Radioactive
- No, has stable isotopes
- Discovered
- 1746
Zinc electron configuration
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 3d10 4s2
- Full electron configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2
- Electron shells
- 2 · 8 · 18 · 2
The electron configuration of Zinc (Zn) is [Ar] 3d10 4s2. Its 30 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 2.
Protons, neutrons and electrons in Zinc
A neutral Zinc atom has 30 protons and 30 electrons. Most Zinc atoms have about 35 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 65, minus the atomic number 30.
Neutrons are approximate: atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). Atomic number and mass
How many valence electrons does Zinc have?
2
Zinc has 2 valence electrons, counting the electrons in its outermost s subshell. Like most transition metals, it can also use d electrons in bonding.
Zinc orbital diagram
Each box is an orbital that holds up to two electrons with opposite spins (↑↓). The inner shells are the same as the noble gas in brackets. How to write electron configurations
Molar mass of Zinc
65.38 g/mol
One mole of Zinc atoms (6.022 × 10²³ atoms) has a mass of 65.38 grams. Use this value to convert between grams and moles.
Compounds containing Zinc
Zinc facts
- Coating steel in zinc (galvanizing) protects it from rust, even where the coating is scratched.
- Your body needs zinc for hundreds of enzymes, including ones in the immune system.
- Zinc (Zn) has atomic number 30 and is a solid at room temperature. It was discovered in 1746.
Position in the periodic table
Zinc is element 30, in period 4 and group 12 of the periodic table, in the d-block.
Uses of Zinc
Zinc is used mainly to galvanize steel for car bodies, fences, roofing and highway guardrails. It is also alloyed with copper to make brass, cast into precise die-cast parts, and used as the negative electrode in alkaline batteries. Zinc oxide goes into sunscreen, diaper rash creams and rubber tires, where it helps the rubber cure.
Who discovered Zinc?
German chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf is credited with isolating zinc and recognizing it as an element in 1746, by heating the ore calamine with carbon. Metallic zinc had already been produced much earlier in India and China.
Where does the name come from?
Zinc comes from the German Zink, a name used by the physician Paracelsus in the 1500s. Its origin is uncertain; one popular explanation links it to Zinke, 'prong' or 'spike', describing the jagged crystals of the metal.
Same group
Compare Zinc
FAQ
What is the electron configuration of Zinc?
The electron configuration of Zinc (Zn) is [Ar] 3d10 4s2. Its 30 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 2.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Zinc have?
A neutral Zinc atom has 30 protons and 30 electrons. Most Zinc atoms have about 35 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 65, minus the atomic number 30.
How many valence electrons does Zinc have?
Zinc has 2 valence electrons, counting the electrons in its outermost s subshell. Like most transition metals, it can also use d electrons in bonding.
What is the molar mass of Zinc?
The molar mass of Zinc is 65.38 g/mol. This is the same number as its atomic mass, 65.38 u.
Is Zinc a metal?
Yes. Zinc is a transition metal, so it is a metal.
Is Zinc radioactive?
Ordinary Zinc is not radioactive: it has at least one stable isotope. Like every element, it also has radioactive isotopes, most of them made in laboratories.
Where is Zinc on the periodic table?
Zinc is element 30, in period 4 and group 12 of the periodic table, in the d-block.