About nihonium

Nihonium, symbol Nh, is element number 113 in the periodic table. It is a post-transition metal in group 13, period 7, p-block. The element was discovered in 2004. It is named after Nihon, the Japanese name for Japan. Its bulk properties have never been measured because only a few atoms have been made; it is expected to be a solid at room temperature.

Nihonium electron configuration

The electron configuration of nihonium is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s² 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7p¹, or in short [Rn] 7s² 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7p¹. Its electrons occupy 7 shells: K = 2, L = 8, M = 18, N = 32, O = 32, P = 18, Q = 3. Nihonium has 3 valence electrons in the Q shell (7s² 7p¹), which is why it sits in group 13. For this superheavy element the configuration is a theoretical prediction.

Filling order: 1s²(2) → 2s²(4) → 2p⁶(10) → 3s²(12) → 3p⁶(18) → 4s²(20) → 3d¹⁰(30) → 4p⁶(36) → 5s²(38) → 4d¹⁰(48) → 5p⁶(54) → 6s²(56) → 4f¹⁴(70) → 5d¹⁰(80) → 6p⁶(86) → 7s²(88) → 5f¹⁴(102) → 6d¹⁰(112) → 7p¹(113)

Uses of nihonium

Nihonium has no practical use outside research, because it can only be made a few atoms at a time in particle accelerators.

Safety

Only a handful of nihonium atoms have ever been made and they decay very quickly, so it is never handled in an ordinary laboratory.

Other elements in group 13

Frequently asked questions

What is the electron configuration of nihonium?

The electron configuration of nihonium (Nh, atomic number 113) is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s² 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7p¹, or [Rn] 7s² 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7p¹ in short. By shell: 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 3.

How many valence electrons does nihonium have?

Nihonium has 3 valence electrons.

Which group and period is nihonium in?

Nihonium is in group 13, period 7, p-block.

What is the atomic mass of nihonium?

Nihonium has no stable isotope, so the mass number of its longest-lived isotope, [286], is given.