Bismuth (Bi)

Lustrous brownish silver

Bismuth is a brittle metal that expands when it solidifies, used in pink medicine and glittery crystals, and with a half-filled 6p³ shell, bismuth has the lowest thermal conductivity of any metal except mercury. Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) treats stomach issues and bismuth crystals form rainbow-oxide hopper crystals.

Key metrics

Density9.78g/cm³

Melting point544K

Boiling point1,837K

Electronegativity2.02Pauling

Discovery

1753discovered

Discovered by: Claude François Geoffroy
Reactivity profile: Stable and weakly reactive
Reactivity: Low
Bonding: Metallic

Electron configuration

\textcolor{#6b7280}{[Xe]}\; \textcolor{#a855f7}{4_{f}^{14}}\; \textcolor{#22c55e}{5_{d}^{10}}\; \textcolor{#ef4444}{6_{s}^{2}}\; \textcolor{#3b82f6}{6_{p}^{3}}

[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p3

Wave function

\Psi_{\text{Bi}} \approx \frac{1}{\sqrt{83!}} \det \left| \chi_1(\mathbf{r}_1) \dots \chi_{83}(\mathbf{r}_{83}) \right|

Probability density $|\Psi|^2$ across the Bi valence shell.

Crystal structure

Rhombohedral

Lattice constantsa 1.00 · b 1.00 · c 1.00

Cell anglesα = β = γ = 61.5°

Coordination number—

Atoms per cell—

Atomic packing factor0.53

Physical properties

Atomic radius: 143 pm
Ionization energy: 703 kJ/mol
Electron affinity: 91 kJ/mol
Crystal structure: Rhombohedral

Oxidation states

+3+5

Acid/base

Basic

Strongly acidicStrongly basic

State at 25 °CSolid

544 K1837 K298 K

Emission spectrum

3 transitions

380450500550600650700780

VioletBlueGreenYellowRed

460.3nmBi IBlue70%

472.2nmBi I (blue)Blue100%

553.5nmBi I (green)Green40%

Dominant line 472.2 nmRange 460–554 nmTransitions 3