27 Co 58.933

Cobalt

transition metal

Properties

Atomic number
27
Atomic mass
58.933 u
Category
transition metal
Group
9
Period
4
Block
d-block
State (room temp)
Solid
Outer-shell electrons
2
Electronegativity
1.88 (Pauling)
Density
8.9 g/cm³
Melting point
1494.85 °C
Boiling point
2926.85 °C

Electron configuration

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d⁷

Noble-gas shorthand: [Ar] 3d⁷ 4s²

Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 15, 2, which is 2 in the outermost shell.

Related: electron configuration, the Bohr model, valence electrons.

Co
Bohr model; outer-shell electrons in blue

About Cobalt

Cobalt is a chemical element with symbol Co and atomic number 27. Like nickel, cobalt in the Earth's crust is found only in chemically combined form, save for small deposits found in alloys of natural meteoric iron. The free element, produced by reductive smelting, is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal.

Cobalt: frequently asked questions

What is Cobalt?
Cobalt (Co) is the chemical element with atomic number 27. It is a metal: specifically a transition metal.
What is the atomic number of Cobalt?
Cobalt's atomic number is 27, which means every Cobalt atom has 27 protons in its nucleus.
What is the electron configuration of Cobalt?
The electron configuration of Cobalt is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d7 (noble-gas shorthand: [Ar] 3d7 4s2). Its electrons are arranged in shells of 2, 8, 15, 2, with 2 in the outermost shell.
Is Cobalt a metal or a nonmetal?
Cobalt is a metal: specifically a transition metal.
What group and period is Cobalt in?
Cobalt is in group 9 and period 4 of the periodic table.
Is Cobalt a solid, liquid, or gas?
At room temperature, Cobalt is a solid.

Position in the periodic table

Open the interactive periodic table →

Data compiled from Wikipedia, PubChem, and IUPAC. Source.