Neodymium (Nd)
Element 60 · Lanthanide · atomic mass 144.24 u · f-block, period 6
Electron shells: 2, 8, 18, 22, 8, 2
Neodymium makes the strongest permanent magnets ever produced, which quietly enabled miniature headphones, hard drives and electric motors. Demand for it is now tied to wind turbines and EVs.
A neodymium magnet the size of a coin can lift more than a hundred times its own weight.
- Atomic number
- 60
- Atomic mass
- 144.24 u
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 6s² 4f⁴
- Group · period · block
- f-block · 6 · f
- Oxidation states
- +3
- Electronegativity
- 1.14 (Pauling)
- Melting point
- 1,021 °C
- Boiling point
- 3,074 °C
- Density
- 7.01 g/cm³
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Appearance
- Silvery-white metal
- Discovered
- Carl Auer von Welsbach, 1885
60 protons, and 60 electrons when neutral
IUPAC standard atomic weight
Shown in the strip below the table
What Neodymium is used for
- Neodymium-iron-boron magnets
- Electric vehicle and wind turbine motors
- Headphones and speakers
- High-power lasers
Atomic structure of Neodymium
A neutral neodymium atom has 60 protons and 60 electrons. Its most common isotope carries about 84 neutrons, which is where the mass number 144 comes from. Change the neutron count and you have a different isotope of neodymium; change the proton count and you have a different element entirely.
Those electrons fill shells from the inside out: 2, 8, 18, 22, 8, 2. In orbital notation that is [Xe] 6s² 4f⁴. As a f-block element its valence count is variable, which is why it can form compounds in several oxidation states.
3D electron orbitals
See where Neodymium's electrons actually are — a cloud of 26,000 points sampled from the probability density |ψ|², not a cartoon of a lobe.
Where Neodymium sits in the periodic table
The first f-block row, elements 57-71. Chemically near-identical to each other and hard to separate, yet essential to magnets, lasers and phosphors.
- One proton lighter: Praseodymium.
- One proton heavier: Promethium.
Discovery and naming
Neodymium was discovered by Carl Auer von Welsbach in 1885. Its name comes from Greek neos didymos, "new twin", which is also why its symbol (Nd) does not match its English name.
Keep exploring
Atomic weight from IUPAC/CIAAW; physical properties from PubChem (US National Library of Medicine). Values that have never been measured are shown as “not measured” rather than estimated.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the atomic mass of Neodymium?
The standard atomic weight of Neodymium is 144.24 u, as published by IUPAC's Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Neodymium have?
Neodymium has 60 protons, because the atomic number is the proton count and that is what makes an atom Neodymium at all. A neutral Neodymium atom has the same number of electrons, 60. The neutron count varies by isotope; the most common one has about 84, since 144 − 60 = 84.
What is the electron configuration of Neodymium?
The electron configuration of Neodymium is [Xe] 6s² 4f⁴. Its electrons are arranged 2, 8, 18, 22, 8, 2 across 6 shells.
Is Neodymium a metal?
Yes. Neodymium is classified as a lanthanide, on the metallic side of the table.
What group and period is Neodymium in?
Neodymium sits in the f-block strip below the main table, in period 6, among the lanthanides. Elements in that strip are not given a group number in the standard 18-column layout.
What is the charge of Neodymium?
Neodymium most commonly forms a 3+ ion. Like most transition metals it has several accessible oxidation states, so the charge depends on the compound.
What is the melting point of Neodymium?
Neodymium melts at 1,021 °C and boils at 3,074 °C. That puts it in the solids at everyday temperatures.
What is Neodymium used for?
Neodymium-iron-boron magnets, Electric vehicle and wind turbine motors, Headphones and speakers, High-power lasers. Neodymium makes the strongest permanent magnets ever produced, which quietly enabled miniature headphones, hard drives and electric motors.
Who discovered Neodymium, and where does its name come from?
Neodymium (Nd) was discovered by Carl Auer von Welsbach in 1885. The name comes from Greek neos didymos, "new twin".