Quick answerRhenium (Re) is a transition metal with atomic number 75 and an atomic mass of 186.21 (2023), in group 7, period 6. It was discovered by Noddack, Tacke, and Berg in 1925. It is used for jet engine superalloys and catalysts for petrol refining. Its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f14 5d5 6s2.
Rhenium is one of the rarest metals on Earth, and jet engines depend on it to survive temperatures that melt other alloys.
Key facts
| Symbol | Re |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 75 |
| Atomic mass | 186.21 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | transition metal |
| Group | 7 |
| Period | 6 |
| Block | d-block |
| Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d5 6s2 |
| Discovered | Noddack, Tacke, and Berg, 1925 |
| Uses | jet engine superalloys, catalysts for petrol refining, thermocouples, electrical contacts, X-ray tubes |
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Silver (Ag) — another transition metal, atomic number 47
- Cadmium (Cd) — another transition metal, atomic number 48
- Hafnium (Hf) — another transition metal, atomic number 72
- Tantalum (Ta) — another transition metal, atomic number 73
- Tungsten (W) — another transition metal, atomic number 74
- Osmium (Os) — another transition metal, atomic number 76
- Iridium (Ir) — another transition metal, atomic number 77
- Platinum (Pt) — another transition metal, atomic number 78
- Gold (Au) — another transition metal, atomic number 79
- Mercury (Hg) — another transition metal, atomic number 80
- 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.