Lithium
Lithium (锂, symbol Li) is chemical element number 3, an Alkali Metal in period 2, group 1 of the periodic table, with a standard atomic weight of about 6.94. Soft, silvery-white metal. Lightest of all metals and central to modern battery technology.
Properties
| Atomic number | 3 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Li |
| Atomic mass | 6.94 u |
| Category | Alkali Metal |
| Period | 2 |
| Group | 1 |
| Electron configuration | [He] 2s¹ |
| Electronegativity | 0.98 |
| Covalent radius | 128 pm |
| Density | 0.534 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 453.69 K |
| Boiling point | 1560 K |
| Discovery | Johan A. Arfwedson, 1817 |
Overview
Soft, silvery-white metal. Lightest of all metals and central to modern battery technology. Lithium (Li) holds position 3 in the periodic table, an Alkali Metal in period 2, group 1. As an alkali metal it is soft and highly reactive, releasing hydrogen on contact with water, and is usually stored away from air and moisture.
It has the configuration [He] 2s¹ and an electronegativity near 0.98; its 1 outer-shell electron drives its bonding. Under standard conditions it exists as a solid; it melts near 453.69 K (180.5 °C), boils near 1560 K (1286.9 °C), has a density around 0.534 g/cm³.
It is widely used in Energy / Batteries and Medical / Pharma. On the safety side, it carries a moderate hazard rating. It was first described by Johan A. Arfwedson in 1817. Use the comparison tool to line it up against other elements.
Electron shells
Electrons per shell: 2 · 1
Main uses
- Energy / Batteries
- Medical / Pharma
Hazard
Compounds containing Lithium
No compounds in this knowledge base contain Lithium 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.