Ruthenium
TRANSITION METAL
Bohr Model: Electrons arranged in energy shells around the nucleus.
Ruthenium is a chemical element with symbol Ru and atomic number 44. It is a rare transition metal belonging to the platinum group of the periodic table. Like the other metals of the platinum group, ruthenium is inert to most other chemicals.
Quick Facts
Atomic Number 44
Period 5
Group 8
Phase Solid
Appearance silvery white metallic
About Transition Metals
Transition metals are elements with partially filled d-orbitals. They are hard, have high melting points, and often form colored compounds.
History
Discovered By Karl Ernst Claus
Named By Unknown
Physical Properties
Atomic Mass 101.072
Density 12.45 g/L
Molar Heat 24.06 J/(mol·K)
Phase Transition (Melting & Boiling Points)
Ruthenium melts at 2607 K and boils at 4423 K.
Atomic Properties
Electron Config [Kr] 4d7 5s1
Electronegativity 2.2
Electron Affinity 100.96 kJ/mol
Ionization Energy 710.2 kJ/mol
Orbital Filling Diagram
This diagram visualizes electron configuration according to the Aufbau principle and Hund's rule.
Boxes represent orbitals (s, p, d, f), while arrows indicate electrons with spin up or down.
Electrons fill lower energy levels first and occupy orbitals singly before pairing.
Photograph
External Resources
Study Guide
Atomic Number
The number of protons in the nucleus, which defines the element.
Atomic Mass
The average mass of an atom, including protons and neutrons.
Electronegativity
A measure of how strongly an atom attracts electrons in a bond.
Ionization Energy
The energy required to remove an electron from an atom.
Electron Config
The arrangement of electrons in the atom's energy shells.