58 Ce 140.12
Cerium
Lanthanide
Cerium (Ce) is a chemical element with atomic number 58, classified as a lanthanide. At room temperature it is a solid. It was discovered in 1803 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth, Jöns Jacob Berzelius.
Properties
- Atomic number
- 58
- Atomic mass
- 140.12 u
- Category
- Lanthanide
- Group
- 0
- Period
- 6
- Block
- f-block
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f¹ 5d¹ 6s²
- Phase at STP
- Solid
- Density
- 6.77 g/cm³
- Melting point
- 1068 K (794.9 °C)
- Boiling point
- 3716 K (3442.8 °C)
- Electronegativity
- 1.12
- Atomic radius
- 210 pm
- Ionization energy
- 5.539 eV
- Discovery
- 1803 · Martin Heinrich Klaproth, Jöns Jacob Berzelius
Common uses
Catalytic converters, glass polishing, lighter flints, self-cleaning ovens
Did you know?
Most abundant rare earth element and used in self-cleaning ovens.
Experiment with the elements
Cerium doesn't form any compounds in our lab yet, but the periodic table sandbox lets you combine dozens of other real elements into real compounds — water, table salt, ammonia and many more — with their true chemical formulas.