Lead

POST-TRANSITION METAL

Bohr Model: Electrons arranged in energy shells around the nucleus.

Lead (/lɛd/) is a chemical element in the carbon group with symbol Pb (from Latin:plumbum) and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable and heavy post-transition metal. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed to air.

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Quick Facts

Atomic Number 82

Period 6

Group 14

Phase Solid

Appearance metallic gray

About Post-Transition Metals

Transition metals are elements with partially filled d-orbitals. They are hard, have high melting points, and often form colored compounds.

History

Discovered By Middle East

Named By Unknown

Physical Properties

Atomic Mass 207.21

Density 11.34 g/L

Molar Heat 26.65 J/(mol·K)

Phase Transition (Melting & Boiling Points)

Lead melts at 600.61 K and boils at 2022 K.

Atomic Properties

Electron Config [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p2

Electronegativity 1.87

Electron Affinity 34.4204 kJ/mol

Ionization Energy 715.6 kJ/mol

Orbital Filling Diagram

This diagram visualizes electron configuration according to the Aufbau principle and Hund's rule. Boxes represent orbitals (s, p, d, f), while arrows indicate electrons with spin up or down. Electrons fill lower energy levels first and occupy orbitals singly before pairing.

Photograph

Source: Wikipedia

External Resources

Wikipedia PubChem Royal Society of Chemistry Periodic Videos (YouTube)

Study Guide

Atomic Number

The number of protons in the nucleus, which defines the element.

Atomic Mass

The average mass of an atom, including protons and neutrons.

Electronegativity

A measure of how strongly an atom attracts electrons in a bond.

Ionization Energy

The energy required to remove an electron from an atom.

Electron Config

The arrangement of electrons in the atom's energy shells.