Quick answerManganese (Mn) is a transition metal with atomic number 25 and an atomic mass of 54.938 (2023), in group 7, period 4. It was discovered by Johan Gottlieb Gahn in 1774. It is used for steel production and batteries. Its electron configuration is [Ar] 3d5 4s2.
Manganese is the workhorse of steelmaking, nearly every tonne of steel contains it, and it also powers disposable batteries.
Key facts
| Symbol | Mn |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 25 |
| Atomic mass | 54.938 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | transition metal |
| Group | 7 |
| Period | 4 |
| Block | d-block |
| Electron configuration | [Ar] 3d5 4s2 |
| Discovered | Johan Gottlieb Gahn, 1774 |
| Uses | steel production, batteries, aluminium alloys, fertilisers, pigments |
Quick quiz
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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
- Chromium (Cr) — another transition metal, atomic number 24
- 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.