Element 23 · Vanadium (V)

Vanadium Bohr model: diagram and electrons per shell

The vanadium Bohr model shows a vanadium atom (V) as a small nucleus with its electrons circling it in 4 shells: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 11 in shell M and 2 in shell N. This page has a rotating 3D vanadium Bohr model, a flat diagram, a table of the electrons in each shell and the steps to draw it yourself.

Rotate the vanadium Bohr model in 3D

Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.

This is a Bohr model of vanadium (V), a simplified picture of a single vanadium atom. Its nucleus holds 23 protons, and a neutral vanadium atom has 23 electrons, arranged around it in 4 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 11 in shell M and 2 in shell N).

V K · 21s² L · 82s² 2p⁶ M · 113s² 3p⁶ 3d³ N · 24s²

Vanadium Bohr model diagram

Bohr model diagram of vanadium: a nucleus of 23 protons with 23 electrons on 4 shells, 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 11 in shell M and 2 in shell N, each ring labelled with its shell letter. — The vanadium 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, 11 in shell M and 2 in shell N).

Vanadium electrons per shell

A neutral vanadium atom has 23 electrons, one for each of its 23 protons. They fill the shells from the nucleus outwards: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 11 in shell M and 2 in shell N.

Electrons in each shell of the vanadium 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	11	18	3s² 3p⁶ 3d³
N	4	2	32	4s²

How the vanadium Bohr model builds up, shell by shell

Watch the vanadium 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, 11 in shell M and 2 in shell N) as it forms.

Animation of the vanadium Bohr model being built: a nucleus of 23 protons appears first, then each shell grows in around it and takes its electrons, giving 23 electrons on 4 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 11 in shell M and 2 in shell N). — The vanadium 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, 11 in shell M and 2 in shell N. Protons are red, neutrons yellow and electrons blue.

How to draw the vanadium Bohr model

Find the atomic number. Vanadium has atomic number 23, so a neutral atom has 23 protons and 23 electrons.
Draw the nucleus. Put a circle in the centre and write V in it. The 23 protons sit there with the neutrons.
Draw the shells. Sketch 4 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, 11 in shell M and 2 in shell N.
Check the total. 2 + 8 + 11 + 2 = 23, the atomic number, so every electron is accounted for.

Atomic data for the vanadium Bohr model

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

Identity

Symbol: V
Atomic number: 23
Atomic mass: 50.9415 u
Family: Transition Metals
Position: group 5, period 4
Block: d-block

Electron configuration

Full: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d³
Shorthand: [Ar] 3d³ 4s²
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 11, 2
Outer-shell electrons: 2 in shell N

Ionisation energies

I₁: 650.9
I₂: 1414
I₃: 2830
I₄: 4507
I₅: 6298.7
I₆: 12363
I₇: 14530
I₈: 16730

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): 171
Empirical (pm): 135
Covalent (pm): 134

Electronegativity and electron affinity

Electronegativity (Pauling): 1.63
Electron affinity (kJ/mol): 50.911

Oxidation states

Charges the element commonly takes in compounds.

Physical properties, abundance and history of vanadium

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

Physical properties

Phase at room conditions: Solid
Appearance: Blue-silver-grey metal
Melting point: 1909.85°C (2183 K)
Boiling point: 3406.85°C (3680 K)
Density: 6 g/cm³
Thermal conductivity (W/m·K): 30.7
Specific heat (J/g·K): 0.489
Molar heat capacity (J/mol·K): 24.89
Heat of fusion (kJ/mol): 17.5
Heat of vaporisation (kJ/mol): 460

Abundance

Earth's crust (mg/kg): 120
Oceans (mg/L): 0.003

Discovery

Discovered by: Andrés Manuel del Río
Year: 1801
Named by: Isotopes of vanadium

Common compounds

Vanadyl sulfate O5SV
Sodium metavanadate NaO3V
Ammonium metavanadate H4NO3V
Vanadium V
Vanadium trichloride Cl3V
Vanadium(iii) bromide Br3V
Bis(cyclopentadienyl)vanadium chloride C10H10Cl2V-2
Sodium orthovanadate Na3O4V

Compounds listed in the PubChem database.

Main isotopes of vanadium

Isotopes of vanadium share the same 23 protons but differ in neutrons. Natural isotopes come first, then the longest-lived others.

Main isotopes of vanadium: mass number, abundance, half-life and decay
Mass number	Natural abundance	Half-life	Decay
47	–	32.6 min	β⁺
48	–	15.973 d	β⁺
49	–	330 d	EC
50	0.25 %	271 Py	β⁺, β⁻
51	99.75 %	stable	–
52	–	3.743 min	β⁻

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

More about vanadium

Vanadium on the periodic table – properties, isotopes, uses and the full vanadium page.
Transition Metals – all transition metal elements and their trends.
Bohr model of every element – the Bohr model of all 118 elements.