Quick answerBoron (B) is a metalloid with atomic number 5 and an atomic mass of 10.81 (2023), in group 13, period 2. It was discovered by Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac and Louis Jacques Thénard in 1808. It is used for borosilicate glass and detergents. Its electron configuration is [He] 2s2 2p1.
Boron strengthens glass and ceramics, shields nuclear reactors, and feeds plants as an essential micronutrient in fertilisers.
Key facts
| Symbol | B |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 5 |
| Atomic mass | 10.81 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | metalloid |
| Group | 13 |
| Period | 2 |
| Block | p-block |
| Electron configuration | [He] 2s2 2p1 |
| Discovered | Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac and Louis Jacques Thénard, 1808 |
| Uses | borosilicate glass, detergents, nuclear reactor control, semiconductors, fertilisers |
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Silicon (Si) — another metalloid, atomic number 14
- Germanium (Ge) — another metalloid, atomic number 32
- Arsenic (As) — another metalloid, atomic number 33
- Antimony (Sb) — another metalloid, atomic number 51
- Tellurium (Te) — another metalloid, atomic number 52
Sources & last updated
- CIAAW — Standard Atomic Weights
- PubChem Periodic Table
- Wikipedia — Timeline of chemical element discoveries
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.