Rhenium (symbol Re, atomic number 75) is one of the rarest metals, used in jet-engine superalloys. It is classified as a transition metal and sits in group 7, period 6 of the periodic table.
Overview
Rhenium is the chemical element with atomic number 75 and the symbol Re. With a standard atomic weight of 186.21, it is a transition metal. In the periodic table it occupies group 7 and period 6, and under standard conditions it is normally a solid. Rhenium is one of the rarest metals, used in jet-engine superalloys.
Atomic structure
An atom of Rhenium has 75 protons in its nucleus and, when neutral, 75 electrons arranged in the configuration [Xe] 4f14 5d5 6s2. Its standard atomic weight of 186.21 reflects the natural mix of its stable isotopes.
Discovery and place in the table
Rhenium was discovered in 1925 by Walter Noddack, Ida Tacke, Otto Berg. It follows Tungsten (W) and precedes Osmium (Os) in order of atomic number.
| Atomic number | 75 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Re |
| Atomic mass | 186.21 |
| Category | Transition metal |
| Group | 7 |
| Period | 6 |
| Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d5 6s2 |
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Discovered | 1925 (Walter Noddack, Ida Tacke, Otto Berg) |