Quick answerChromium (Cr) is a transition metal with atomic number 24 and an atomic mass of 51.996 (2023), in group 6, period 4. It was discovered by Louis Nicolas Vauquelin in 1797. It is used for stainless steel and chrome plating. Its electron configuration is [Ar] 3d5 4s1.
Chromium is the metal that makes stainless steel shine and resist rust, and it plates car bumpers and bathroom taps.
Key facts
| Symbol | Cr |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 24 |
| Atomic mass | 51.996 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | transition metal |
| Group | 6 |
| Period | 4 |
| Block | d-block |
| Electron configuration | [Ar] 3d5 4s1 |
| Discovered | Louis Nicolas Vauquelin, 1797 |
| Uses | stainless steel, chrome plating, leather tanning, pigments, wood preservation |
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Scandium (Sc) — another transition metal, atomic number 21
- Titanium (Ti) — another transition metal, atomic number 22
- Vanadium (V) — another transition metal, atomic number 23
- Manganese (Mn) — another transition metal, atomic number 25
- Iron (Fe) — another transition metal, atomic number 26
- Cobalt (Co) — another transition metal, atomic number 27
- Nickel (Ni) — another transition metal, atomic number 28
- Copper (Cu) — another transition metal, atomic number 29
- Zinc (Zn) — another transition metal, atomic number 30
- Yttrium (Y) — another transition metal, atomic number 39
- All transition metal elements — on the periodic table
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.