Cadmium

Source of the photo
http://www.tsumeb.com/
Author of the description
Gruiz Katalin

Atomic number

48

Atomic mass

112.4 g.mol -1

Electronegativity

1.7

Density

8.7 g.cm-3 at 20°C

Melting point

321 °C

Boiling point

767 °C

Vanderwaals radius

0.154 nm

Ionic radius

0.097 nm (+2)

Isotopes

15

Electronic shell

[ Kr ] 4d10 5s2

Energy of first ionisation

866 kJ.mol -1

Energy of second ionisation

1622 kJ.mol -1

Standard potential

-0.402 V

Discovered

Fredrich Stromeyer in 1817

 

Cadmium is a lustrous, silver-white, ductile, very malleable metal. Its surface has a bluish tinge and the metal is soft enough to be cut with a knife, but it tarnishes in air. It is soluble in acids but not in alkalis. It is similar in many respects to zinc but it forms more complex compounds.

Source of description

http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/cd.htm