Atomic Properties of Pb
- Atomic Number of Pb
- 82
- Atomic Mass of Pb
- 207.2000 u
- Electron Configuration
- [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p2
- Electronegativity
- 1.87
- Block
- p-block
- Group
- 14
- Period
- 6
Lead (Pb) is element 82 on the periodic table. Atomic mass of Pb: 207.2000 u. Pb is in period 6, group 14. Melting point of Pb: 600.61 K.Density of Pb: 11.34 g/cm³.
The heavy metal that built Rome and still shields us from radiation
No biological function. Toxic heavy metal that accumulates in bones, mimics calcium. Lead poisoning causes neurological damage, especially in children.
Discovered by Known to the ancients.,
Name origin: Anglo-Saxon: lead; symbol from Latin: plumbum.
The symbol Pb comes from "Plumbum," the Latin word for lead. This is also the origin of "plumbing," as Romans used lead pipes. The English name "Lead" comes from Old English "lēad."
Heavy, soft, malleable metal with a bluish-white color that tarnishes to dull grey. Four stable isotopes, all primordial—Pb-206, 207, and 208 are radiogenic end-products of uranium and thorium decay chains. Lead-acid batteries consume ~80% of production. Symbol Pb from Latin 'plumbum' gives us 'plumber' (Romans used lead pipes). Pb-208 is the heaviest stable nuclide.
Lead has 4 naturally occurring isotopes.
| Isotope | Atomic Mass (u) | Abundance | Half-Life | Decay Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20482Pb (Pb-204)Lead-204 isotope | 203.973044 | 1.400% | — | — |
| 20682Pb (Pb-206)Lead-206 isotope | 205.9744657 | 24.10% | — | — |
| 20782Pb (Pb-207)Lead-207 isotope | 206.9758973 | 22.10% | — | — |
| 20882Pb (Pb-208)Lead-208 isotope | 207.9766525 | 52.40% | — | — |
Data source: NIH PubChem (aggregated from IUPAC, NIST)
Isotopes of Lead have important real-world applications in science and industry.
The three natural radioactive-decay chains beginning with 238U, 235U, and 232Th each have comparable half-lives that are much longer than the radioactive isotopes that follow until the production of stable isotopes of 206Pb, 207Pb, and 208Pb, respectively. Therefore, one can measure the relative amounts of the radiogenic isotopes of lead to determine the length of time that has elapsed since uranium and thorium atoms were incorporated into rocks and minerals. Typically, this method is used to date minerals that are tens of millions to billions of years old. The uranium-lead dating method was used to determine some of the first accurate ages of the Earth (about 4.55×109 years) [554], [555], [556].
Used in solder, shielding against radiation and in batteries.
Found most often in ores called galena or lead sulfide (PbS). Some is found in its native state.
Loading quiz...