Element 64 · Gadolinium (Gd)

Gadolinium Bohr model: diagram and electrons per shell

The gadolinium Bohr model shows a gadolinium atom (Gd) as a small nucleus with its electrons circling it in 6 shells: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 25 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P. This page has a rotating 3D gadolinium Bohr model, a flat diagram, a table of the electrons in each shell and the steps to draw it yourself.

Rotate the gadolinium Bohr model in 3D

Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.

This is a Bohr model of gadolinium (Gd), a simplified picture of a single gadolinium atom. Its nucleus holds 64 protons, and a neutral gadolinium atom has 64 electrons, arranged around it in 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 25 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P).

Gd K · 21s² L · 82s² 2p⁶ M · 183s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ N · 254s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f⁷ O · 95s² 5p⁶ 5d¹ P · 26s²

Gadolinium Bohr model diagram

Bohr model diagram of gadolinium: a nucleus of 64 protons with 64 electrons on 6 shells, 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 25 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P, each ring labelled with its shell letter. — The gadolinium Bohr model drawn flat: each ring is a shell, labelled with its letter, and every dot is an electron (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 25 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P).

Gadolinium electrons per shell

A neutral gadolinium atom has 64 electrons, one for each of its 64 protons. They fill the shells from the nucleus outwards: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 25 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P.

Electrons in each shell of the gadolinium Bohr model
Shell	Shell number (n)	Electrons	Most it can hold (2n²)	Subshells
K	1	2	2	1s²
L	2	8	8	2s² 2p⁶
M	3	18	18	3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰
N	4	25	32	4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f⁷
O	5	9	50	5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹
P	6	2	72	6s²

How the gadolinium Bohr model builds up, shell by shell

Watch the gadolinium Bohr model come together: the nucleus first, then each shell in turn, from the innermost outwards, with its electrons joining the ring. The legend names every shell and counts its electrons, so you can read off the arrangement (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 25 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P) as it forms.

Animation of the gadolinium Bohr model being built: a nucleus of 64 protons appears first, then each shell grows in around it and takes its electrons, giving 64 electrons on 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 25 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P). — The gadolinium Bohr model built up in six seconds: the nucleus first, then each shell with its electrons, ending with 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 25 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P. Protons are red, neutrons yellow and electrons blue.

How to draw the gadolinium Bohr model

Find the atomic number. Gadolinium has atomic number 64, so a neutral atom has 64 protons and 64 electrons.
Draw the nucleus. Put a circle in the centre and write Gd in it. The 64 protons sit there with the neutrons.
Draw the shells. Sketch 6 shells as rings around the nucleus. A shell holds at most 2n² electrons: 2 in the first, 8 in the second, 18 in the third and 32 in the fourth.
Place the electrons. Fill from the inside out: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 25 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P.
Check the total. 2 + 8 + 18 + 25 + 9 + 2 = 64, the atomic number, so every electron is accounted for.

Atomic data for the gadolinium Bohr model

The numbers behind the gadolinium Bohr model, grouped by topic. Radii are in picometres (pm) and energies in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).

Identity

Symbol: Gd
Atomic number: 64
Atomic mass: 157.253 u
Family: Lanthanides
Position: period 6 of the f-block
Block: f-block

Electron configuration

Full: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f⁷ 5d¹
Shorthand: [Xe] 4f⁷ 5d¹ 6s²
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 25, 9, 2
Outer-shell electrons: 2 in shell P

Ionisation energies

I₁: 593.4
I₂: 1170
I₃: 1990
I₄: 4250

Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). A sharp jump means the next electron comes from an inner shell.

Atomic radii

Calculated (pm): 233
Empirical (pm): 180
Covalent (pm): 169

Electronegativity and electron affinity

Electronegativity (Pauling): 1.2
Electron affinity (kJ/mol): 13.22

Oxidation states

Charges the element commonly takes in compounds.

Physical properties, abundance and history of gadolinium

Bulk properties of gadolinium, how common it is, who discovered it and some of its compounds.

Physical properties

Phase at room conditions: Solid
Appearance: Silvery white
Melting point: 1311.85°C (1585 K)
Boiling point: 2999.85°C (3273 K)
Density: 7.9 g/cm³
Specific heat (J/g·K): 0.236
Molar heat capacity (J/mol·K): 37.03
Heat of vaporisation (kJ/mol): 398

Abundance

Earth's crust (mg/kg): 6.2
Oceans (mg/L): 0

Discovery

Discovered by: Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac
Year: 1880

Common compounds

Gadoteridol C17H29GdN4O7
Gadobenate Dimeglumine C36H62GdN5O21
Gadolinium Gd
Gadopentetate Dimeglumine C28H54GdN5O20
Gadodiamide C16H26GdN5O8
Gadoversetamide C20H34GdN5O10
Gadobutrol C18H31GdN4O9
Gadoterate Meglumine C23H42GdN5O13

Compounds listed in the PubChem database.

Main isotopes of gadolinium

Isotopes of gadolinium share the same 64 protons but differ in neutrons. Natural isotopes come first, then the longest-lived others.

Main isotopes of gadolinium: mass number, abundance, half-life and decay
Mass number	Natural abundance	Half-life	Decay
154	2.18 %	stable	–
155	14.8 %	stable	–
156	20.47 %	stable	–
157	15.65 %	stable	–
158	24.84 %	stable	–
160	21.86 %	stable	2β⁻

α = alpha decay, β⁻ = beta-minus, β⁺ = beta-plus, EC = electron capture, SF = spontaneous fission, p / n = proton / neutron emission.

More about gadolinium

Gadolinium on the periodic table – properties, isotopes, uses and the full gadolinium page.
Lanthanides – all lanthanide elements and their trends.
Bohr model of every element – the Bohr model of all 118 elements.