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58Ce140.116
Cerium
LanthanideCerium is a chemical element with symbol Ce and atomic number 58. It is a soft, silvery, ductile metal which easily oxidizes in air. Cerium was named after the dwarf planet Ceres (itself named after the Roman goddess of agriculture).
Phase: SolidAppearance: silvery white
2, 8, 18, 19, 9, 2
Physical Properties
Atomic Mass140.1161 u
Density6.77 g/cm³
Melting Point1068 K
Boiling Point3716 K
Molar Heat26.94 J/(mol·K)
Period6
PhaseSolid
Chemical Properties
Electron Configuration1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 5d1 4f1
Semantic Config[Xe] 4f1 5d1 6s2
Shells2, 8, 18, 19, 9, 2
Electron Affinity55 kJ/mol
Electronegativity1.12
Ionization Energies
IE1: 534.4 kJ/molIE2: 1050 kJ/molIE3: 1949 kJ/molIE4: 3547 kJ/molIE5: 6325 kJ/molIE6: 7490 kJ/mol
Discovery
Discovered byMartin Heinrich Klaproth