Element 71 · Lutetium (Lu)

Lutetium Bohr model: diagram and electrons per shell

The lutetium Bohr model shows a lutetium atom (Lu) as a small nucleus with its electrons circling it in 6 shells: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P. This page has a rotating 3D lutetium Bohr model, a flat diagram, a table of the electrons in each shell and the steps to draw it yourself.

Rotate the lutetium Bohr model in 3D

Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.

This is a Bohr model of lutetium (Lu), a simplified picture of a single lutetium atom. Its nucleus holds 71 protons, and a neutral lutetium atom has 71 electrons, arranged around it in 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P).

Lu K · 21s² L · 82s² 2p⁶ M · 183s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ N · 324s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ O · 95s² 5p⁶ 5d¹ P · 26s²

Lutetium Bohr model diagram

Bohr model diagram of lutetium: a nucleus of 71 protons with 71 electrons on 6 shells, 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P, each ring labelled with its shell letter. — The lutetium 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, 32 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P).

Lutetium electrons per shell

A neutral lutetium atom has 71 electrons, one for each of its 71 protons. They fill the shells from the nucleus outwards: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P.

Electrons in each shell of the lutetium 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	32	32	4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴
O	5	9	50	5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹
P	6	2	72	6s²

How the lutetium Bohr model builds up, shell by shell

Watch the lutetium 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, 32 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P) as it forms.

Animation of the lutetium Bohr model being built: a nucleus of 71 protons appears first, then each shell grows in around it and takes its electrons, giving 71 electrons on 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P). — The lutetium 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, 32 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P. Protons are red, neutrons yellow and electrons blue.

How to draw the lutetium Bohr model

Find the atomic number. Lutetium has atomic number 71, so a neutral atom has 71 protons and 71 electrons.
Draw the nucleus. Put a circle in the centre and write Lu in it. The 71 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, 32 in shell N, 9 in shell O and 2 in shell P.
Check the total. 2 + 8 + 18 + 32 + 9 + 2 = 71, the atomic number, so every electron is accounted for.

Atomic data for the lutetium Bohr model

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

Identity

Symbol: Lu
Atomic number: 71
Atomic mass: 174.9668 u
Family: Lanthanides
Position: period 6 of the f-block
Block: d-block

Electron configuration

Full: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹
Shorthand: [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹ 6s²
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 32, 9, 2
Outer-shell electrons: 2 in shell P

Ionisation energies

I₁: 523.5
I₂: 1340
I₃: 2022.3
I₄: 4370
I₅: 6445

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): 217
Empirical (pm): 175
Covalent (pm): 162

Electronegativity and electron affinity

Electronegativity (Pauling): 1.27
Electron affinity (kJ/mol): 33.4

Oxidation states

Charges the element commonly takes in compounds.

Physical properties, abundance and history of lutetium

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

Physical properties

Phase at room conditions: Solid
Appearance: Silvery white
Melting point: 1651.85°C (1925 K)
Boiling point: 3401.85°C (3675 K)
Density: 9.841 g/cm³
Specific heat (J/g·K): 0.154
Molar heat capacity (J/mol·K): 26.86
Heat of vaporisation (kJ/mol): 414

Abundance

Earth's crust (mg/kg): 0.8
Oceans (mg/L): 0

Discovery

Discovered by: Georges Urbain
Year: 1907

Common compounds

Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate C65H87LuN14O19S2
Lutetium Lu
Lutetium chloride Cl3Lu
Lutetium nitride (LuN) LuN
Lutetium fluoride F3Lu
Lutetium iodide (LuI3) I3Lu
Lutetium citrate C6H5LuO7
Nitric acid, lutetium(3+) salt (3:1) LuN3O9

Compounds listed in the PubChem database.

Main isotopes of lutetium

Isotopes of lutetium share the same 71 protons but differ in neutrons. Natural isotopes come first, then the longest-lived others.

Main isotopes of lutetium: mass number, abundance, half-life and decay
Mass number	Natural abundance	Half-life	Decay
171	–	8.247 d	β⁺
172	–	6.7 d	β⁺
173	–	1.37 y	EC
174	–	3.31 y	β⁺
175	97.401 %	stable	–
176	2.599 %	37.01 Gy	β⁻, β⁺

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

More about lutetium

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