Periodic TableAll elementsIodine
No. 053
I
126.9 u
Element · Halogen

Iodine

Iodine (碘, symbol I) is chemical element number 53, a Halogen in period 5, group 17 of the periodic table, with a standard atomic weight of about 126.9. Lustrous, purple-black halogen. Essential for thyroid hormones.

Period 5Group 17[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁵

Properties

Atomic number53
SymbolI
Atomic mass126.9 u
CategoryHalogen
Period5
Group17
Electron configuration[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁵
Electronegativity2.66
Covalent radius139 pm
Density4.93 g/cm³
Melting point386.85 K
Boiling point457.4 K
DiscoveryBernard Courtois, 1811

Overview

Lustrous, purple-black halogen. Essential for thyroid hormones. Element 53, Iodine (I), is a Halogen found in period 5, group 17. As a halogen it is a reactive nonmetal that readily gains one electron to form a −1 ion.

Its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁵, with 7 electrons in the outer shell, and an electronegativity of about 2.66 (Pauling). Around 25 °C it is usually a solid; it melts near 386.85 K (113.7 °C), boils near 457.4 K (184.3 °C), has a density around 4.93 g/cm³.

In industry and daily life it turns up in Medical / Pharma and Agriculture / Fertiliser. On the safety side, it carries a moderate hazard rating. It was first described by Bernard Courtois in 1811. Use the comparison tool to line it up against other elements.

Electron shells

I53

Electrons per shell: 2 · 8 · 18 · 18 · 7

Main uses

Hazard

ModerateToxic

Compounds containing Iodine

No compounds in this knowledge base contain Iodine yet.

Data sources

Atomic mass uses IUPAC (CIAAW) standard atomic weights; the covalent radius is from Cordero et al. (2008). Verify on the RSC Periodic Table, PubChem and Wikipedia. Educational reference only.