Quick answerPalladium (Pd) is a transition metal with atomic number 46 and an atomic mass of 106.42 (2023), in group 10, period 5. It was discovered by William Hyde Wollaston in 1803. It is used for catalytic converters and hydrogen purification. Its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d10.
Palladium is the platinum-group metal that cleans car exhaust, purifies hydrogen, and stores data on hard disks.
Key facts
| Symbol | Pd |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 46 |
| Atomic mass | 106.42 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | transition metal |
| Group | 10 |
| Period | 5 |
| Block | d-block |
| Electron configuration | [Kr] 4d10 |
| Discovered | William Hyde Wollaston, 1803 |
| Uses | catalytic converters, hydrogen purification, electronics, jewellery, dental alloys |
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Zinc (Zn) — another transition metal, atomic number 30
- Yttrium (Y) — another transition metal, atomic number 39
- Zirconium (Zr) — another transition metal, atomic number 40
- Niobium (Nb) — another transition metal, atomic number 41
- Molybdenum (Mo) — another transition metal, atomic number 42
- Technetium (Tc) — another transition metal, atomic number 43
- Ruthenium (Ru) — another transition metal, atomic number 44
- Rhodium (Rh) — another transition metal, atomic number 45
- Silver (Ag) — another transition metal, atomic number 47
- Cadmium (Cd) — another transition metal, atomic number 48
- All transition metal elements — on the periodic table
Sources & last updated
- CIAAW — Standard Atomic Weights
- PubChem Periodic Table
- Wikipedia — Timeline of chemical element discoveries
- Wikipedia — Palladium
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.