58Ce140.116

Cerium

LanthanidesBlock fPeriod 6solid at 20 °C
Configuration :
[Xe] 4f¹ 5d¹ 6s²
Atomic mass :
140.116 u
French :
Cérium
3D Bohr-model representation of the Cerium atom (symbol Ce, atomic number Z=58). Electron shell configuration: 2, 8, 18, 19, 9, 2 electrons.
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Bohr model · educational

Bohr model of cerium

Bohr model of cerium (Ce): 58 electrons in 6 shells — 2, 8, 18, 19, 9, 2

Cerium (Ce) has 58 electrons, spread over 6 shells. The diagram places them on circles around the nucleus, from the K shell — the closest — outward.

ShellElectrons
K (n = 1)2
L (n = 2)8
M (n = 3)18
N (n = 4)19
O (n = 5)9
P (n = 6)2

The Bohr model is a teaching picture: electrons do not travel in circular orbits, but the number of electrons per shell is exact.

Electron configuration

Full1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶ 4f¹ 5d¹ 6s²
Short[Xe] 4f¹ 5d¹ 6s²
Valence electrons4
KLMNOPQ shells
K2
L8
M18
N19
O9
P2

Electronegativity

Pauling1.12
Allen—
Mulliken (eV)—

Atomic radii

Empirical185 pm
Calculated210 pm
Covalent204 pm
Van der Waals—
Ionic radii (Shannon-Prewitt)
+3101 pm
+487 pm

Successive ionisation energies

I₁534.4 kJ/mol
I₂1050 kJ/mol
I₃1949 kJ/mol
I₄3547 kJ/mol
Electron affinity—

Oxidation states

+2+3+4
Bold states = most common.
Warm-up

Cerium — do you remember?

3 questions on this page. The right answer shows every time, and nothing is asked of you to play.

No account · one minute

Period 6Block fFamily Lanthanides
Sources : NIST Atomic Weights & Isotopic Compositions, IUPAC Recommendations, CODATA. Methodology