Polonium

POST-TRANSITION METAL

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

Polonium is a chemical element with symbol Po and atomic number 84, discovered in 1898 by Marie Curie and Pierre Curie. A rare and highly radioactive element with no stable isotopes, polonium is chemically similar to bismuth and tellurium, and it occurs in uranium ores. Applications of polonium are few.

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Quick Facts

Atomic Number 84

Period 6

Group 16

Phase Solid

Appearance silvery

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 Pierre Curie

Named By Unknown

Physical Properties

Atomic Mass 209

Density 9.196 g/L

Molar Heat 26.4 J/(mol·K)

Phase Transition (Melting & Boiling Points)

Polonium melts at 527 K and boils at 1235 K.

Atomic Properties

Electron Config [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p4

Electronegativity 2

Electron Affinity 136 kJ/mol

Ionization Energy 812.1 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.