Cadmium (Cd) – Periodic Table [Element Information & More]

Cadmium element (Cd) is in group 12 and period 5 of a periodic table. Cadmium is in the d-block and it is classified as a post-transition element on the periodic table.

There is a lot more information related to cadmium which is mentioned in the Information Table given below.

So let’s dive right into it!

Table of contents

• Cadmium element (Information Table)
• Cadmium element in Periodic table
• Facts about Cadmium
• Properties of Cadmium
• Uses of Cadmium

Cadmium Element (Information Table)

The important data related to cadmium element is given in the table below.

Appearance of cadmium	Metallic bluish-gray
Atomic number of cadmium	48
Symbol of cadmium	Cd
Atomic mass of cadmium	112.41 u
Protons, Neutrons & Electrons in cadmium	Protons: 48, Neutrons: 64, Electrons: 48
State of cadmium (at STP)	Solid
Group number of cadmium in periodic table	12
Period number of cadmium in periodic table	5
Block of cadmium in periodic table	d-block
Category of cadmium	Post-transition metal
Bohr model or Electrons per shell or Electrons arrangement in cadmium	2, 8, 18, 18, 2
Electron configuration of cadmium	[Kr] 4d10 5s2
Orbital diagram of cadmium
Electronegativity of cadmium (on pauling scale)	1.69
Atomic radius of cadmium (van der Waals radius)	158 picometers
Density of cadmium	8.65 g/cm3
1st ionization energy of cadmium	8.994 eV
Main isotope of cadmium	114Cd, 112Cd
Melting point of cadmium	594.2 K or 321 °C or 610 °F
Boiling point of cadmium	1040 K or 767 °C or 1413 °F
Crystal structure of cadmium	Hexagonal closed packing (HCP)
Discovery of cadmium	By Friedrich Stromeyer in 1817

Also see: Interactive Periodic Table (It has rotating bohr models as well as many other details of all the 118 elements in a single periodic table).

Cadmium element in Periodic table

The Cadmium element (Cd) has the atomic number 48 and is located in group 12 and period 5. Cadmium is a metal and it is classified as a post-transition element.

Click on above elements in the periodic table to see their information.

Facts about cadmium

Here are a few interesting facts about cadmium element.

1. Cadmium was discovered by Friedrich Stromeyer in 1817.
2. Cadmium is a soft metal and it can also be cut with a knife.
3. Cadmium ores are not from the earth’s crust but it is obtained during the refining of zinc.
4. It is estimated that the earth’s crust contains a very small concentration (0.150 ppm) of cadmium.
5. If 1 ton of zinc is refined, then we can  get only 6.5 pounds of cadmium.

Properties of cadmium

Here is a list of some physical properties and chemical properties of cadmium.

Physical properties of cadmium

• Cadmium has a shiny bluish-gray appearance.
• Cadmium is a soft and malleable metal.
• Cadmium is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
• The melting point and boiling point of cadmium is 594.2 K and 1040 K.

Chemical properties of cadmium

• The cadmium has a most common oxidation state of +2.
• The electronic configuration of cadmium is [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² and it is classified as a post-transition metal on the periodic table.
• Cadmium is resistive to corrosion so it is also used in plating other metals.
• The bulk cadmium metal is not flammable but its powdered form may burn and release toxic fumes.
• The cadmium metal pieces are insoluble in water.
• When cadmium is heated in air, it forms cadmium oxide (CdO).

Uses of cadmium

Here are some uses of the cadmium element.

• Cadmium is mostly used in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries.
• Cadmium is used in anti-corrosion plating on the steel.
• Cadmium rods are used as a neutron absorber in nuclear reactors.
• Cadmium is also used in some semiconductor materials.
• Different cadmium salts are used in paint pigments to get different colors (mostly red, yellow and orange).

External resources:

1. Chemistry of Cadmium. (2013, October 2). Chemistry LibreTexts. https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Inorganic_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_and_Websites_(Inorganic_Chemistry)/Descriptive_Chemistry/Elements_Organized_by_Block/3_d-Block_Elements/Group_12%3A_Transition_Metals/Chemistry_of_Cadmium
2. Bedford, et al. (1996, April 1). Recommended values of temperature on the International Temperature Scale of 1990 for a selected set of secondary reference points. Metrologia, 33(2), 133–154. https://doi.org/10.1088/0026-1394/33/2/3
3. Allred, A. (1961, June). Electronegativity values from thermochemical data. Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, 17(3–4), 215–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1902(61)80142-5
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6. Haynes, W. M. (Ed.). (2014, June 4). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. https://doi.org/10.1201/b17118
7. Cadmium – Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table. (n.d.). Cadmium – Element Information, Properties and Uses | Periodic Table. https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/48/cadmium
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13. Periodic Table of Elements: Los Alamos National Laboratory. (n.d.). Periodic Table of Elements: Los Alamos National Laboratory. https://periodic.lanl.gov/48.shtml
14. Atomic Weight of Cadmium | Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights. (n.d.). Atomic Weight of Cadmium | Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights. https://ciaaw.org/cadmium.htm
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