Mn
Manganese
Element 25 · Transition metal
Manganese (Mn)
Manganese is a hard, brittle, grey metal. Most of it goes into steel, where it removes sulfur and adds strength.
- Transition metal
- Period 4
- Group 7
- d-block
- solid at room temperature
Key properties
- Atomic mass
- 54.938
- u
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 3d5 4s2
- Melting point
- 1,245.9 °C
- 1,519 K
- Boiling point
- 2,060.9 °C
- 2,334 K
- Density
- 7.3 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 1.55
- Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 197 pm
- van der Waals
- 1st ionisation energy
- 7.434 eV
Compare with every element:Electronegativity chartAtomic radius chartIonisation energy chartDensity chart of the elementsMelting point chartElectron configuration chart
Did you know?
Notable facts about manganese
- 01
Prehistoric cave paintings at Lascaux used manganese dioxide as black pigment.
- 02
Huge fields of manganese nodules lie on the deep ocean floor.
- 03
Manganese is essential for photosynthesis, splitting water to release oxygen.
Applications
What is manganese used for?
- Steel production
- Alkaline and lithium batteries
- Aluminium drink cans
- Fertiliser and animal feed
History
Discovery & name origin
Discovered by
Year
Where
Sweden
Name origin
Latin magnes, “magnet”, via the black mineral magnesia nigra.
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
- Atomic number
- 25
- Atomic mass
- 54.938 u
- Group
- 7
- Period
- 4
- Block
- d-block
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 3d5 4s2
- Full configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d5
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 13, 2
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.55
- Electron affinity
- —
- Atomic radius (van der Waals)
- 197 pm
- Stable isotopes
- 1
Oxidation states
Highlighted: common oxidation states (+7, +4, +3, +2).
Successive ionisation energies
Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). Big jumps show where a new, inner shell begins.
- 1st717.3
- 2nd1,509
- 3rd3,248
- 4th4,940
- 5th6,990
- 6th9,220
- 7th11,500
- 8th18,770
Physical
Physical properties & colour
Physical
Physical properties & colour
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Melting point
- 1,519 K · 1,245.9 °C · 2,274.5 °F
- Boiling point
- 2,334 K · 2,060.9 °C · 3,741.5 °F
- Density
- 7.3 g/cm³
- Molar heat capacity
- 26.32 J/(mol·K)
- Appearance
- Silvery metallic
- CPK model colour
- Copied
The CPK colour is the convention used for this element’s atoms in molecular models.
FAQ
Manganese questions
What is Mn on the periodic table?
Mn is the symbol for manganese, element 25 on the periodic table. It sits in group 7, period 4, in the transition metal category, and has an atomic mass of 54.938.
What is the atomic number of manganese?
Manganese has atomic number 25, so every manganese atom has 25 protons in its nucleus. Its symbol is Mn and its atomic mass is 54.938.
Who discovered manganese?
Manganese was discovered by Johan Gottlieb Gahn in 1774 (Sweden). The name comes from Latin magnes, “magnet”, via the black mineral magnesia nigra.
What is manganese used for?
Manganese is used for: steel production; alkaline and lithium batteries; aluminium drink cans; fertiliser and animal feed.
Is manganese a metal?
Yes. Manganese is a transition metal, one of the metallic elements.
What is the electron configuration of manganese?
The electron configuration of manganese is [Ar] 3d5 4s2. Its 25 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 13, 2.