CADMIUM

TRANSITION ELEMENT: ZINC GROUP

Atomic number:48
Group numbers:12
Period:5
Electronic configuration:[Kr] 4d10 5s2
Formal oxidation number:+2
Electronegativities:1.69
Atomic radius / pm:148.9
Relative atomic mass:112.411 ± 0.008

Cadmium was discovered by Friedrich Strohmeyer (DE) in 1817. The origin of the name comes
from the Latin word cadmia meaning calamine (zinc carbonate, ZnCO3), or from the Greek
word kadmeia with the same meaning. It is a soft, malleable, blue-white metal that tarnishes in
air, soluble in acids, insoluble in alkalis. Boiling cadmium gives off a weird, yellow-coloured
vapour that is poisonous. Cadmium can cause a variety of health problems, including kidney
failure and high blood pressure. Cadmium is obtained as a by product of zinc refining. The
mayor use of cadmium is in electroplating of steel to protect it from corrosion. It is also used to
make nickel-cadmium batteries. The ability of cadmium to adsorb neutrons has made it of great
importance in the design of nuclear reactors. Its compounds are found in paint pigments and a
wide variety of intense colours.

C RY S TA L L O G R A P H I C D ATA

Crystal structure:
hexagonal

Unit-cell dimensions / pm:

a=297.94, c=561.86

Space group:
P63/mmc

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Density / g dm-3:8650 (293 K)
7996 (m.p.)
Molar volume / cm3mol-1:13.00 (293 K)
14.06 (m.p.)
Electrical resistivity / μΩcm:6.83 (20 °C)

THERMAL PROPERTIES
Thermal conductivity / W m-1K-1:96.8
Melting point / °C:312.07
Boiling point / °C:767
Heat of fusion / kJ mol-1:6.11
Heat of vaporization / kJ mol-1:100
Heat of atomization / kJ mol-1:112.05

I O N I Z AT I O N E N E R G I E S
1st ionization energy / kJ mol-1:867.78
2nd ionization energy / kJ mol-1:1631.42
3rd ionization energy / kJ mol-1:3616.30

ABUNDANCE OF ELEMENTS
in the atmosphere / ppm:-
in the Earth's crust / ppm:0.098
in the oceans / ppm:0.0001

ISOTOPES
IsotopeRelative atomic massMass percent (%)
106
Cd105.906458(6)1.25(4)
108
Cd107.904183(6)0.89(2)
110
Cd109.903006(3)12.49(12)
111
Cd110.904182(3)12.80(8)
112
Cd111.902757(3)24.13(14)
113
Cd112.904401(3)12.22(8)
114
Cd113.903358(3)28.73(28)
116
Cd115.904755(3)7.49(12)
REDUCTION POTENTIALS
Balanced half-reaction Eo / V
Cd2+ + 2e- Cd(s)- 0.403
Cd(CN)42- + 2e- Cd(s) + 4CN-- 1.09
Cd(NH3)42+ + 2e- Cd(s) + 4NH3- 0.61
Cd(OH)2(s) + 2e- Cd(s) + 2OH-- 0.81
-
CdS(s) + 2e Cd(s) + S2-- 1.17