Zinc (Zn)
transition-metalSolid
Standard Atomic Weight
65.38 uElectron configuration
[Ar] 4s2 3d10Melting point
419.53 °CBoiling point
906.85 °CDensity
7134 kg/m³Oxidation states
−2, 0, +1, +2Electronegativity (Pauling)
1.65Ionization energy (1st)
9.394197 eVDiscovery year
1746Atomic radius
135 pmDetails
Zinc is a moderately reactive, bluish-white transition metal with a filled 3d shell and chemistry dominated by the +2 oxidation state. It is an essential trace element for living organisms and an important industrial metal, especially for corrosion protection of steel. In minerals it occurs chiefly as sulfide and carbonate ores, and in technology it is valued for sacrificial galvanic behavior, alloy formation, and stable, often colorless Zn²⁺ compounds.
Zinc is a bluish-white, lustrous metal. It is brittle at ordinary temperatures but malleable at 100 to 150°C. It is a fair conductor of electricity, and burns in air at high red heat with evolution of white clouds of the oxide.
It exhibits superplasticity. Neither zinc nor zirconium is ferromagnetic; but ZrZn2 exhibits ferromagnetism at temperatures below 35°K. It has unusual electrical, thermal, optical, and solid-state properties that have not been fully investigated.
The name derives from the German zink of unknown origin. It was first used in prehistoric times, where its compounds were used for healing wounds and sore eyes and for making brass. Zinc was recognized as a metal as early as 1374.
Although zinc compounds have been used for at least 2,500 years in the production of brass, zinc wasn't recognized as a distinct element until much later. Metallic zinc was first produced in India sometime in the 1400s by heating the mineral calamine (ZnCO3) with wool. Zinc was rediscovered by Andreas Sigismund Marggraf in 1746 by heating calamine with charcoal. Today, most zinc is produced through the electrolysis of aqueous zinc sulfate (ZnSO4).
From the German word Zink, of obscure origin. Centuries before zinc was recognized as a distinct element, zinc ores were used for making brass. An alloy containing 87 percent zinc has been found in prehistoric ruins in Transylvania.
Metallic zinc was produced in the 13th century A.D. India by reducing calamine with organic substances such as wool. The metal was rediscovered in Europe by Marggraf in 1746. He demonstrated that zinc could be obtained by reducing calamine with charcoal.
Pure zinc is a lustrous bluish-white metal when freshly cut, but it dulls in air as a thin protective surface film forms. It is brittle near room temperature in coarse cast form, becomes more workable when warmed, and melts at a comparatively low temperature for a structural metal.
The largest use of zinc is galvanizing, where a zinc coating protects iron and steel by forming a barrier and by acting as a sacrificial anode. Zinc is also used in brass and other alloys, die-cast components, roofing sheet, and anodes for batteries. Zinc oxide is used in rubber, ceramics, pigments, sunscreens, and topical preparations. Zinc is essential in nutrition, but supplemental or medicinal uses depend on specific compounds and doses rather than the metal itself.
Roughly one third of all metallic zinc produced today is used in a process known as galvanization. During galvanization, an object that is subject to corrosion, such as an iron nail, is given a protective coating of zinc. The zinc can be applied to an object by dipping it in a pool of molten zinc, but it is most often applied through an electroplating process. Sacrificial zinc anodes are used in cathodic protection systems to protect exposed iron from corrosion. Metallic zinc is also used to make dry cell batteries, roof cladding and die castings.
Zinc is used to make many useful alloys. Brass, an alloy of zinc that contains between 55% and 95% copper, is probably the best known zinc alloy. Brass was first used about 2,500 years ago and was widely used by the ancient Romans, who used it to make such things as coins, kettles and decorative items. Brass is still used today, particularly in musical instruments, screws and other hardware that must resist corrosion. Zinc is alloyed with lead and tin to make solder, a metal with a relatively low melting point used to join electrical components, pipes and other metallic items. Prestal®, an alloy containing 78% zinc and 22% aluminum, is a strange material that is nearly as strong as steel but is molded as easily as plastic. Nickel silver, typewriter metal, spring brass and German silver are other common zinc alloys.
Zinc oxide (ZnO), a common zinc compound, forms when metallic zinc is exposed to the air and forms a protective coating that protects the rest of the metal. Zinc oxide is used in paints, some rubber products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics, printing inks, soap and batteries, among other things. Zinc sulfide (ZnS), another zinc compound, glows when it is exposed to ultraviolet light, X-rays or electrons and is used to make luminous watch dials, television screens and fluorescent light bulbs. Zinc chloride (ZnCl2) is another zinc compound that is used to protect wood from decay and insects.
The metal is employed to form numerous alloys with other metals. Brass, nickel silver, typewriter metal, commercial bronze, spring bronze, German silver, soft solder, and aluminum solder are some of the more important alloys.
Large quantities of zinc are used to produce die castings, which are used extensively by the automotive, electrical, and hardware industries. An alloy called Prestal(R), consisting of 78 percent zinc and 22 percent aluminum, is reported to be almost as strong as steel and as easy to mold as plastic. The alloy said to be so moldable that it can be molded into form using inexpensive ceramics or cement die casts.
Zinc is also used extensively to galvanize other metals such as iron to prevent corrosion. Zinc oxide is a unique and very useful material for modern civilization. It is widely used in the manufacture of paints, rubber products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, floor coverings, plastics, printing inks, soap, storage batteries, textiles, electrical equipment, and other products. Lithopone, a mixture of zinc sulfide and barium sulfate, is an important pigment.
Zinc sulfide is used in making luminous dials, X-ray and TV screens, and fluorescent lights.
The chloride and chromate are also important compounds. Zinc is an essential element in the growth of human beings and animals. Tests show that zinc-deficient animals require 50 percent more food to gain the same weight as an animal supplied with sufficient zinc.
Isotopes in Earth/Planetary Science
Molecules, atoms, and ions of the stable isotopes of zinc possess slightly different physical and chemical properties, and they commonly will be fractionated during physical, chemical, and biological processes, giving rise to variations in isotopic abundances and in atomic weights. There are measureable variations in the isotopic abundances of zinc in natural terrestrial materials (Fig. IUPAC.30.1). Stable zinc isotopes have been used as tracers to investigate biogeochemical and chemical processes in environmental contamination sites [243] M. Bigalke, S. Weyer, J. Kobza, W. Wilcke. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta74, 6801 (2010).. The isotope-amount ratio n(66Zn)/n(64Zn) can be used as an environmental tracer for detecting the pathways of anthropogenic zinc [244] Y. Sivry, J. Riotte, J. E. Sonke, S. Audry, J. Schafer, J. Viers, G. Blanc, R. Freydier, B. Dupre. Chem. Geol.255, 295 (2008)., [245] C. Cloquet, J. Carignan, G. Libourel. Environ. Sci. Technol.40, 6594 (2006)., [246] J. Chen, J. Gaillardet, P. Louvat. Environ. Sci. Technol.42, 6494 (2008)..
Isotopes in Medicine
Oral tracers of enriched 67Zn and intravenously injected stable isotopic tracers with enriched 70Zn are used simultaneously to determine the fraction of dietary zinc absorbed in humans, maintaining the amount or concentration of a nutrient or biomolecule in organs and body fluids. For example, zinc-isotope tracers can be administered to humans to determine if zinc absorption in their bodies may be impaired by ingestion of certain foods, food components, or dietary supplements. One such study conducted with Peruvian women showed that prenatal iron supplements affected the absorption of zinc during pregnancy. Another isotope tracer study investigated zinc deficiency in children with Crohn’s disease (an inflammatory disease of the intestines, especially the colon and ileum) [249] K. O’Brien, N. Zavaleta, L. Caulfield, J. Wen, S. Abrams. J. Nutr.130, 2251 (2000)., [250] I. J. Griffin, S. C. Kim, P. D. Hicks, L. K. Liang, S. A. Abrams. Pediatr. Res.56, 235 (2004).. Zinc radioisotopes (e.g. 65Zn, with a half-life of 244 days) can also be used for determining zinc absorption in humans, but they are now used rarely because of radiation hazards [251] K. B. Payton, P. R. Flanagan, E. A. Stinson, D. P. Chodirker, M. J. Chamberlain, L. S. Valberg. Gastroenterology83, 1264 (1982)., [252] N. M. Lowe, L. R. Woodhouse, J. S. Matel, J. C. King. Am. J. Clin. Nutr.71, 523 (2000).. ZnO nanoparticles enriched with 67Zn have been used as biological/environmental nanotoxicity tracers [253] A. D. Dybowska, M. N. Croteau, S. K. Misra, D. Berhanu, S. N. Luoma, P. Christian, P. O’Brien, E. Valsami-Jones. Environ. Pollut.159, 266 (2011)..
Isotopes Used as a Source of Radioactive Isotope(s)
The 68Zn (p, 2p) 67Cu (with a half-life of 62 h) reaction in which targets with zinc enriched in 68Zn are irradiated and the neutron induced reaction 67Zn (n, p) 67Cu are both processes for producing 67Cu for radiotherapy [254] T. Katabuchi, S. Watanabe, N. S. Ishioka, Y. Iida, H. Hanaoka, K. Endo, S. Matsuhashi. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem.277, 467 (2008).. Irradiation of 64Zn with a deuteron (the nucleus of 2H, consisting of a proton and a neutron) in a cyclotron will produce the radioisotope 64Cu (with a half-life of 12.7 h), which can be used for therapeutic applications and diagnosis with positron emission tomography (PET) via the 64Zn (d, 2p) 64Cu reaction [255] K. Abbas, J. Kozempel, M. Bonardi, F. Groppi, A. Alfarano, U. Holzwarth, F. Simonelli, H. Hofman, W. Horstmann, E. Menapace, L. Leseticky, N. Gibson. Appl. Radiat. Isot.64, 1001 (2006)..
Zinc chemistry is mainly Zn²⁺, with little stable redox chemistry in water because the d¹⁰ ion is not easily oxidized or reduced under ordinary conditions. Important compounds include zinc oxide, ZnO, a white amphoteric oxide; zinc sulfide, ZnS, a major ore mineral and phosphor host; zinc sulfate, ZnSO₄, used in industry and agriculture; and zinc chloride, ZnCl₂, a hygroscopic Lewis-acidic salt. Zinc also forms many coordination complexes, and organozinc reagents are useful in synthetic chemistry.
See more information at the Zinc compound page.
Zinc is nutritionally essential, but excessive intake of soluble zinc salts can cause toxicity and can interfere with copper metabolism. Fumes from freshly formed zinc oxide, ZnO, produced during welding or cutting galvanized metal, can cause metal fume fever. Zinc dust is combustible under suitable conditions, and some soluble or strongly acidic zinc compounds are irritants or environmentally hazardous at elevated concentrations. The stable isotopes are not radioactive hazards.
Zinc is not considered to be toxic, but when freshly formed ZnO is inhaled a disorder known as oxide shakes or zinc chills sometimes occurs. Where zinc oxide is encountered, recommendations include providing good ventilation to avoid concentration exceeding 5 mg/m3, (time-weighted over an 8-hour exposure, 40-hour work week).
Zinc is naturally released by rock weathering, volcanic emissions, and biological cycling, and it is also mobilized by mining, smelting, tire wear, galvanized materials, and waste streams. In soils and waters it partitions among dissolved Zn²⁺, mineral surfaces, organic matter, sulfides, and carbonates, so pH and redox conditions strongly affect mobility. It is an essential micronutrient, but elevated bioavailable zinc can harm aquatic organisms and soil microbiota.
Zinc is a major base metal produced primarily from sphalerite-rich ores, commonly after concentration by flotation. Roasted concentrates are processed by electrolytic or pyrometallurgical routes, with sulfur captured largely as sulfuric acid, H₂SO₄, in modern plants. Demand is closely tied to steel galvanizing, construction, transport, die casting, brass, and batteries. Recycling is significant from brass scrap, galvanized steel dusts, and die-cast alloys, although dispersed coatings are harder to recover efficiently than bulk metal scrap.
The principal ores of zinc are sphalerite (sulfide), smithsonite (carbonate), calamine (silicate), and franklinite (zinc, manganese, iron oxide). One method of zinc extraction involves roasting its ores to form the oxide and reducing the oxide with coal or carbon, with subsequent distillation of the metal.
Zinc is less cosmically abundant than iron-group elements such as iron and nickel, but it is a normal constituent of the solar system and of many stellar spectra. Its stable isotopes are produced by several nucleosynthetic pathways in massive stars and supernova environments. In planetary materials zinc is moderately volatile, so its abundance can record thermal processing during planet formation and impact history.
- Zinc coatings can protect exposed scratches because zinc corrodes preferentially to iron.
- Brass, a copper-zinc alloy, was made long before zinc was isolated as a pure metal in Europe.
- Zinc oxide is white, but it turns yellow when hot and becomes white again on cooling.
- Many enzymes use Zn²⁺ as a structural or catalytic center without changing its oxidation state.
- Sphalerite, the main zinc ore, can contain economically important cadmium, indium, or germanium impurities.
Images
Properties
Physical
- Atomic radius (empirical)
- 135 pm Compare Atomic radius (empirical) of all elements →
- Covalent radius
- 122 pm Compare Covalent radius of all elements →
- Van der Waals radius
- 139 pm Compare Van der Waals radius of all elements →
- Metallic radius
- 121 pm Compare Metallic radius of all elements →
- Density
- 7134 kg/m³ Compare Density of all elements →
- Molar volume
- 0.0092 L/mol
- Phase at STP
- Solid Compare Phase at STP of all elements →
- Melting point
- 419.53 °C Compare Melting point of all elements →
- Boiling point
- 906.85 °C Compare Boiling point of all elements →
- Thermal conductivity
- 116 W/(m·K) Compare Thermal conductivity of all elements →
- Specific heat capacity
- 0.388 J/(g·K) Compare Specific heat capacity of all elements →
- Molar heat capacity
- 25.39 J/(mol·K) Compare Molar heat capacity of all elements →
- Crystal structure
- Hexagonal close-packed Compare Crystal structure of all elements →
Chemical
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.65 Compare Electronegativity (Pauling) of all elements →
- Electronegativity (Allen)
- 1.59
- Electron affinity
- -0.6 eV (negative value — the atom is not predicted to bind an extra electron)
- Ionization energy (1st)
- 9.394197 eV Compare Ionization energy (1st) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (2nd)
- 17.964452 eV Compare Ionization energy (2nd) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (3rd)
- 39.723437 eV Compare Ionization energy (3rd) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (4th)
- 59.573205 eV Compare Ionization energy (4th) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (5th)
- 82.600284 eV Compare Ionization energy (5th) of all elements →
- Oxidation states
- −2, 0, +1, +2 Compare Oxidation states of all elements →
- Valence electrons
- 12 Compare Valence electrons of all elements →
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 4s2 3d10
Thermodynamic
- Heat of fusion
- 0.07617764 eV Compare Heat of fusion of all elements →
- Heat of vaporization
- 1.195004 eV Compare Heat of vaporization of all elements →
- Heat of sublimation
- 1.351505 eV
- Heat of atomization
- 1.351505 eV
- Atomization enthalpy
- 1.351505 eV
Nuclear
- Protons
- 30 Compare Protons of all elements →
- Neutrons
- 36 Compare Neutrons of all elements →
- Known isotopes
- 33 Compare Known isotopes of all elements →
- Stable isotopes
- 3 Compare Stable isotopes of all elements →
- Most stable isotope
- Zn-66
- Discovery year
- 1746
Abundance
- Abundance (Earth's crust)
- 70 mg/kg Compare Abundance (Earth's crust) of all elements →
- Abundance (ocean)
- 0.005 mg/L Compare Abundance (ocean) of all elements →
Crystal Structure
- Lattice constant a
- 266 pm
Electronic Structure
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 2 Compare Electrons per shell of all elements →
Identifiers
- CAS number
- 7440-66-6 Compare CAS number of all elements →
- Term symbol
- 1S0
- InChI
- InChI=1S/Zn
- InChI Key
- HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Electron Configuration Measured
Zn: 3d¹⁰ 4s²[Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s²1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s²Atomic model
Isotopes change neutron count, mass, and stability — not the electron configuration of a neutral atom.
Schematic atomic model, not to scale.
Atomic Fingerprint
Emission / Absorption Spectrum
Isotope Distribution
| Mass number | Atomic mass (u) | Natural abundance | Half-life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 66 Stable | 65.92603381 ± 0.00000094 | 27.7300% | Stable |
| 67 Stable | 66.92712775 ± 0.00000096 | 4.0400% | Stable |
| 68 Stable | 67.92484455 ± 0.00000098 | 18.4500% | Stable |
Phase / State
Reason: 394.5 °C below melting point (419.53 °C)
Schematic, not to scale
Phase transition points
Transition energies
Energy required to melt 1 mol at melting point
Energy required to vaporize 1 mol at boiling point
Energy required to sublime 1 mol at sublimation point
Density
At standard conditions
At standard conditions
Atomic Spectra
Showing 10 of 30. Sorted by ion charge (ascending).
Lines Holdings ?
| Ion | Charge | Total lines | Transition probabilities | Level designations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zn I | 0 | 570 | 16 | 564 |
| Zn II | +1 | 96 | 22 | 90 |
| Zn III | +2 | 39 | 0 | 0 |
| Zn IV | +3 | 119 | 0 | 0 |
Levels Holdings ?
| Ion | Charge | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Zn I | 0 | 380 |
| Zn II | +1 | 94 |
| Zn III | +2 | 316 |
| Zn IV | +3 | 245 |
| Zn V | +4 | 158 |
| Zn VI | +5 | 193 |
| Zn VII | +6 | 134 |
| Zn VIII | +7 | 5 |
| Zn IX | +8 | 2 |
| Zn X | +9 | 2 |
Ionic Radii
| Charge | Coordination | Spin | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|
| +2 | 4 | N/A | 60 pm |
| +2 | 5 | N/A | 68 pm |
| +2 | 6 | N/A | 74 pm |
| +2 | 8 | N/A | 90 pm |
Compounds
Isotopes (3)
Naturally occurring zinc contains five stable isotopes. Sixteen other unstable isotopes are recognized.
| Mass number | Atomic mass (u) | Natural abundance | Half-life | Decay mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 Stable | 65.92603381 ± 0.00000094 | 27.7300% ± 0.9800% | Stable | stable | |
| 67 Stable | 66.92712775 ± 0.00000096 | 4.0400% ± 0.1600% | Stable | stable | |
| 68 Stable | 67.92484455 ± 0.00000098 | 18.4500% ± 0.6300% | Stable | stable |
Spectral Lines
| Wavelength (nm) | Intensity | Ion stage | Type | Transition | Accuracy | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 387.9141 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 1P* → 3d10.4s.7d 1D | Measured | NIST | |
| 396.543 nm | 78000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 1P* → 3d10.4s.8s 1S | Measured | NIST | |
| 411.31114 nm | 81000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 1P* → 3d10.4s.6d 1D | Measured | NIST | |
| 429.2883 nm | 32000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 3P* → 3d10.4s.5s 1S | Measured | NIST | |
| 429.8325 nm | 49000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 1P* → 3d10.4s.7s 1S | Measured | NIST | |
| 455.326 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.30p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 455.548 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.29p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 455.795 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.28p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 456.073 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.27p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 456.388 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.26p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 456.745 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.25p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 457.155 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.24p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 457.623 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.23p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 458.167 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.22p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 458.796 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.21p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 459.541 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.20p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 460.423 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.19p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 461.482 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.18p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 462.768 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.17p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 462.980809 nm | 390000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 1P* → 3d10.4s.5d 1D | Measured | NIST | |
| 464.351 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.16p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 466.559 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.15p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 468.013589 nm | 540000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 3P* → 3d10.4s.5s 3S | Measured | NIST | |
| 469.143 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.14p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 472.215691 nm | 1000000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 3P* → 3d10.4s.5s 3S | Measured | NIST | |
| 472.527 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.13p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 477.071 nm | N/A | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.12p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 481.053206 nm | 1100000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 3P* → 3d10.4s.5s 3S | Measured | NIST | |
| 506.866 nm | 77000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.9p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 506.943 nm | 21000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.9p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 506.998 nm | 3300 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.9p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 518.19819 nm | 120000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 1P* → 3d10.4s.6s 1S | Measured | NIST | |
| 530.866 nm | 380000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.8p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 531.017 nm | 160000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.8p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 531.101 nm | 56000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.8p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 577.205 nm | 490000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.7p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 577.5452 nm | 210000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.7p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 577.7033 nm | 85000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.7p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 623.78967 nm | 93000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 1P* → 3d10.4s.4d 3D | Measured | NIST | |
| 623.9169 nm | 38000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 1P* → 3d10.4s.4d 3D | Measured | NIST | |
| 636.23458 nm | 240000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.4p 1P* → 3d10.4s.4d 1D | Measured | NIST | |
| 647.9184 nm | 55000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 1S → 3d10.4s.7p 1P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 692.8295 nm | 40000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.6p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 693.8449 nm | 20000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.6p 3P* | Measured | NIST | |
| 694.3184 nm | 7000 | Zn I | emission | 3d10.4s.5s 3S → 3d10.4s.6p 3P* | Measured | NIST |
Extended Properties
Covalent Radii (Extended)
- Covalent radius (Pyykkö)
- 118 pm
- Covalent radius (Pyykkö, double)
- 120 pm
- Covalent radius (Bragg)
- 132 pm
Van der Waals Radii
- Batsanov
- 210 pm
- Alvarez
- 239 pm
- UFF
- 276.3 pm
- MM3
- 229 pm
Atomic & Metallic Radii
- Atomic radius (Rahm)
- 222 pm
- Metallic radius (C12)
- 134 pm
Numbering Scales
- Mendeleev
- 77
- Pettifor
- 76
- Glawe
- 74
Electronegativity Scales
- Ghosh
- 0
- Miedema
- 4
- Gunnarsson–Lundqvist
- 4
- Robles–Bartolotti
- 3
Polarizability & Dispersion
- Dipole polarizability
- 38.67 a.u.
- Dipole polarizability (unc.)
- 0.3 a.u.
- C₆
- 284 Ha·Bohr6
- C₆ (Gould–Bučko)
- 276 Ha·Bohr6
Chemical Affinity
- Proton affinity
- 608.6 kJ/mol
- Gas basicity
- 586 kJ/mol
Miedema Parameters
- Miedema molar volume
- 9.17 cm3/mol
- Miedema electron density
- 2
Supply Risk & Economics
- Production concentration
- 30
- Relative supply risk
- 5
- Reserve distribution
- 22
- Political stability (top producer)
- 24
- Political stability (top reserve)
- 75
Phase Transitions & Allotropes
| Melting point | 692.68 K |
| Boiling point | 1180.15 K |
Oxidation State Categories
Advanced Reference Data
Screening Constants (7)
| n | Orbital | σ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | s | 0.6755 |
| 2 | p | 3.902 |
| 2 | s | 8.172 |
| 3 | d | 16.1217 |
| 3 | p | 14.6307 |
| 3 | s | 13.7808 |
| 4 | s | 24.0348 |
Crystal Radii Detail (4)
| Charge | CN | Spin | rcrystal (pm) | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | IV | 74 | ||
| 2 | V | 82 | ||
| 2 | VI | 88 | from r^3 vs V plots, | |
| 2 | VIII | 104 | calculated, |
Isotope Decay Modes (49)
| Isotope | Mode | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | 2p | 87% |
| 55 | B+ | 100% |
| 55 | B+p | 91% |
| 56 | B+ | 100% |
| 56 | B+p | 88% |
| 57 | B+ | 100% |
| 57 | B+p | 87% |
| 58 | B+ | 100% |
| 58 | B+p | 0.7% |
| 59 | B+ | 100% |
X‑ray Scattering Factors (504)
| Energy (eV) | f₁ | f₂ |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | 2.21675 |
| 10.1617 | — | 2.11915 |
| 10.3261 | — | 2.02585 |
| 10.4931 | — | 1.93665 |
| 10.6628 | — | 1.85138 |
| 10.8353 | — | 1.76986 |
| 11.0106 | — | 1.69194 |
| 11.1886 | — | 1.63293 |
| 11.3696 | — | 1.57784 |
| 11.5535 | — | 1.5246 |
Additional Data
Estimated Crustal Abundance
The estimated element abundance in the earth's crust.
7.0×101 milligrams per kilogram
References (1)
Estimated Oceanic Abundance
The estimated element abundance in the earth's oceans.
4.9×10-3 milligrams per liter
References (1)
Sources
Sources of this element.
The principal ores of zinc are sphalerite (sulfide), smithsonite (carbonate), calamine (silicate), and franklinite (zinc, manganese, iron oxide). One method of zinc extraction involves roasting its ores to form the oxide and reducing the oxide with coal or carbon, with subsequent distillation of the metal.
References (1)
- [6] Zinc https://periodic.lanl.gov/30.shtml
References
(9)
Data deposited in or computed by PubChem
The half-life and atomic mass data was provided by the Atomic Mass Data Center at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Element data are cited from the Atomic weights of the elements (an IUPAC Technical Report). The IUPAC periodic table of elements can be found at https://iupac.org/what-we-do/periodic-table-of-elements/. Additional information can be found within IUPAC publication doi:10.1515/pac-2015-0703 Copyright © 2020 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
The information are cited from Pure Appl. Chem. 2018; 90(12): 1833-2092, https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0703.
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) is one of 17 national laboratories funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The lab's primary mission is to conduct basic research of the atom's nucleus using the lab's unique particle accelerator, known as the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF). For more information visit https://www.jlab.org/
The periodic table at the LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory) contains basic element information together with the history, source, properties, use, handling and more. The provenance data may be found from the link under the source name.
The periodic table contains NIST's critically-evaluated data on atomic properties of the elements. The provenance data that include data for atomic spectroscopy, X-ray and gamma ray, radiation dosimetry, nuclear physics, and condensed matter physics may be found from the link under the source name. Ref: https://www.nist.gov/pml/atomic-spectra-database
This section provides all form of data related to element Zinc.
The element property data was retrieved from publications.