Cadmium Electron Configuration
Orbital diagram
- Valence electrons
- 12
- Unpaired electrons
- 0
- Block
- d-block
- Magnetism (atom)
- diamagnetic
Electrons per shell
| K (n = 1) | 2 |
|---|---|
| L (n = 2) | 8 |
| M (n = 3) | 18 |
| N (n = 4) | 18 |
| O (n = 5) | 2 |
Cadmium ion configurations
| Ion | Electrons | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Cd2+ | 46 | [Kr] 4d10 |
How to write it
Place 48 electrons into subshells in the Aufbau order (1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p), filling s with 2, p with 6, d with 10 and f with 14. Cadmium sits in period 5, group 12, in the d-block, so its last electron enters a d subshell. Replacing the inner electrons with the previous noble gas gives the shorthand [Kr] 4d10 5s2.
Try cadmium and its ions in the calculator, or see the full cadmium data sheet.
Cadmium electron configuration FAQ
What is the electron configuration of cadmium?
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s². Shorthand (noble gas) notation: [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s².
What is the noble gas configuration of cadmium?
[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s². The bracket stands for the Kr core electrons.
How many valence electrons does cadmium have?
12 (2 outer s + 10 d electrons; 2 in the outermost shell).
How many unpaired electrons does cadmium have?
0 in the ground state, following Hund’s rule. With all electrons paired, the atom is diamagnetic.
What is the electron configuration of Cd2+?
[Kr] 4d¹⁰ (46 electrons). Transition metal cations lose their outer s electrons before d electrons.