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Curium — A piece of curium, which emitts strong radiation that makes it glow

096Actinide · Group 3 · Period 7

Curium

Curium (Cm) is element 96, a actinide in the f-block — group 3, period 7. It is a solid at room temperature with 7 electron shells (2, 8, 18, 32, 25, 9, 2) and an atomic mass of 247 u.

Atomic mass
247.0 u
Phase · STP
solid
Melting
1613 K · 1340 °C
Boiling
3383 K · 3110 °C
Electronegativity
1.28
Density
13.51 g/cm³

Photograph — European Union, The Actinide Group, Institute for Transuranium Elements (JRC-ITU), source: https://images-of-elements.com/curium.php

Identity

Atomic number
96
Standard atomic weight
247.0 u
Category
Actinide
Group
3
Period
7
Block
f-block
Oxidation states
+3

Physical properties

Melting point
1613 K · 1340 °C
Boiling point
3383 K · 3110 °C
Density
13.51 g/cm³
Molar heat capacity
Atomic radius
245 pm
Electron affinity
27.17 kJ/mol

Atomic structure

Cm
96protons
151neutrons
96electrons
2valence e⁻
Noble-gas notation
[Rn] 5f7 6d1 7s2
Full configuration
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d10 6p6 7s2 5f7 6d1
Electrons per shell
2, 8, 18, 32, 25, 9, 2

Periodic trends

Where Curium ranks across all 118 elements.

Electronegativity1.28
Ionization energy581 kJ/mol
Electron affinity27.17 kJ/mol
Density13.51 g/cm³
Atomic radius245 pm

Discovery

Discovered
1944
Discovered by
Glenn T. Seaborg
Named by
Appearance
silvery metallic, glows purple in the dark

Position in the table