Ni
Nickel
Element 28 · Transition metal
Nickel (Ni)
Nickel is a hard, silvery, corrosion-resistant metal. It is magnetic at room temperature and is used mainly in stainless steel.
- Transition metal
- Period 4
- Group 10
- d-block
- solid at room temperature
Key properties
- Atomic mass
- 58.693
- u
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 3d8 4s2
- Melting point
- 1,454.9 °C
- 1,728 K
- Boiling point
- 2,912.9 °C
- 3,186 K
- Density
- 8.912 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 1.91
- Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 163 pm
- van der Waals
- 1st ionisation energy
- 7.64 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 nickel
- 01
The US five-cent coin, the “nickel”, is actually 75% copper.
- 02
Iron–nickel meteorites gave early humans their first metallic iron.
- 03
Earth’s core is thought to contain about 5–10% nickel.
Applications
What is nickel used for?
- Stainless steel
- Batteries (NiMH, Li-ion)
- Coins
- Electroplating
History
Discovery & name origin
Discovered by
Year
Where
Sweden
Name origin
German Kupfernickel, “devil’s copper” — an ore that looked like copper ore but yielded none.
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
- Atomic number
- 28
- Atomic mass
- 58.693 u
- Group
- 10
- Period
- 4
- Block
- d-block
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 3d8 4s2
- Full configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d8
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 16, 2
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.91
- Electron affinity
- 1.156 eV
- Atomic radius (van der Waals)
- 163 pm
- Stable isotopes
- 5
Oxidation states
Highlighted: common oxidation states (+3, +2).
Successive ionisation energies
Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). Big jumps show where a new, inner shell begins.
- 1st737.1
- 2nd1,753
- 3rd3,395
- 4th5,300
- 5th7,339
- 6th10,400
- 7th12,800
- 8th15,600
Physical
Physical properties & colour
Physical
Physical properties & colour
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Melting point
- 1,728 K · 1,454.9 °C · 2,650.7 °F
- Boiling point
- 3,186 K · 2,912.9 °C · 5,275.1 °F
- Density
- 8.912 g/cm³
- Molar heat capacity
- 26.07 J/(mol·K)
- Appearance
- Lustrous, metallic, and silver with a gold tinge
- CPK model colour
- Copied
The CPK colour is the convention used for this element’s atoms in molecular models.
FAQ
Nickel questions
What is Ni on the periodic table?
Ni is the symbol for nickel, element 28 on the periodic table. It sits in group 10, period 4, in the transition metal category, and has an atomic mass of 58.693.
What is the atomic number of nickel?
Nickel has atomic number 28, so every nickel atom has 28 protons in its nucleus. Its symbol is Ni and its atomic mass is 58.693.
Who discovered nickel?
Nickel was discovered by Axel Fredrik Cronstedt in 1751 (Sweden). The name comes from German Kupfernickel, “devil’s copper” — an ore that looked like copper ore but yielded none.
What is nickel used for?
Nickel is used for: stainless steel; batteries (NiMH, Li-ion); coins; electroplating.
Is nickel a metal?
Yes. Nickel is a transition metal, one of the metallic elements.
What is the electron configuration of nickel?
The electron configuration of nickel is [Ar] 3d8 4s2. Its 28 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 16, 2.