Scandium
A light transition metal used in high-performance alloys.
Inside the Scandium atom
Switch between Bohr and Quantum Cloud modes to compare a simple teaching model with a more realistic probability-based view, and follow the guided tour to explore the Scandium atom step by step.
Electron configuration
[Ar] 3d1 4s2
A neutral Scandium atom has 21 electrons (equal to its proton count). Choosing a different isotope above changes only the neutron count.
Shell distribution
Electrons fill inner shells before outer ones; the outermost (valence) shell drives the element's chemistry.
Physical & atomic properties
- State (room temp)
- Solid
- Melting point
- 1814 K (1541 °C)
- Boiling point
- 3109 K (2836 °C)
- Density
- 2.989 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 1.36 Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 160 pm
- 1st ionization energy
- 633 kJ/mol
- Category
- Transition metals
Discovery & naming
- Discovered
- 1879
- Discovered by
- Lars Fredrik Nilson
- Origin of name
- Latin 'Scandia', for Scandinavia.
Notable uses
Lightweight high-performance alloys and stadium lighting.
Where Scandium comes from
Supernovae
A rare, awkward element that current models underproduce. Explosive burning appears to be the main source.
Simplified origin map — many elements form through more than one astrophysical pathway.
Summary
- Atomic number
- 21
- Atomic mass
- 44.956
- Category
- Transition metals
- Group · Period
- 3 · 4
- Block
- d-block
- Shells
- 2 · 8 · 9 · 2