What is the electron configuration of Plutonium?

Plutonium (Pu, Z=94) has the configuration [Rn] 5f⁶ 7s². The full notation is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 5f⁶ 6s² 6p⁶ 7s².

Why does Plutonium use [Rn] as its noble gas core?

Radon (Rn, Z=86) is the nearest noble gas with fewer electrons than Plutonium. Abbreviating to [Rn] shortens the notation by replacing the filled 1s through 6p⁶ subshells.

How many valence electrons does Plutonium have?

Plutonium has 8 electrons beyond the [Rn] core: 6 in the 5f subshell and 2 in the 7s subshell. The 5f electrons are considered valence electrons in actinide chemistry.

Is Plutonium's electron configuration an exception to the Aufbau rule?

Plutonium follows the Aufbau principle and fills the 5f subshell in order. Unlike some transition metals, Pu does not exhibit a half-fill or full-fill exception at this position.

What block does Plutonium belong to on the periodic table?

Plutonium is an f-block element (actinide series), period 7, because its distinguishing electron enters the 5f subshell.

Plutonium Electron Configuration

Name: Plutonium Electron Configuration
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Full electron configuration for Plutonium (Pu, element 94): [Rn] 5f⁶ 7s² with orbital diagram and quantum numbers.

94 Pu Plutonium

Plutonium (Pu) — Element 94

Actinide · Period 7 · f-block · Radioactive

[Rn] 5f⁶ 7s² 94 electrons total

Full Electron Configuration

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 5f⁶ 6s² 6p⁶ 7s²

Click to copy · 94 electrons across 16 subshells

Noble Gas Notation

[Rn] 5f⁶ 7s²

Core ([Rn]) 86 electrons

5f subshell 6 electrons

7s subshell 2 electrons

Subshell Fill Summary

2/2

6/6

2/2

6/6

10/10

2/2

6/6

10/10

14/14

2/2

6/6

10/10

6/14

2/2

6/6

2/2

Orbital Box Diagram — Beyond [Rn] Core

Arrows indicate electron spin (↑ = spin up, ↓ = spin down). Hund's rule: single occupancy before pairing.

5f (6 electrons, 7 orbitals)

7s (2 electrons, 1 orbital)

Quantum Numbers — Outermost Electrons

Electron	n (principal)	l (angular)	mₗ (magnetic)	mₛ (spin)
7s¹ (first)	7	0	0	+½
7s² (second)	7	0	0	−½
5f⁶ (last of 5f)	5	3	−2	−½

For f-orbitals: l = 3, mₗ ranges from −3 to +3. The 5f subshell has 7 orbitals; Pu fills 5 singly (Hund) then pairs one.

Actinide Filling Order Context

Plutonium sits in the 5f series. The 5f subshell begins filling at Thorium (Th, Z=90). Pu has 6 of 14 possible 5f electrons.

Element	Z	Configuration beyond [Rn]
Np	93	5f⁴ 6d¹ 7s²
Pu	94	5f⁶ 7s²
Am	95	5f⁷ 7s²
Cm	96	5f⁷ 6d¹ 7s²

Copied!

Summary

Full electron configuration for Plutonium (Pu, element 94): [Rn] 5f⁶ 7s² with orbital diagram and quantum numbers.

How it works

Plutonium has 94 electrons that fill orbitals following the Aufbau principle.
The inner core matches Radon ([Rn] = 86 electrons through 6p6).
The remaining 8 electrons fill the 5f and 7s subshells: 5f⁶ 7s².
The 5f subshell holds 6 of its possible 14 electrons (one per orbital plus one paired).
Quantum numbers for the outermost 7s electrons: n=7, l=0, mₗ=0, mₛ=±1/2.

Use cases

Look up the correct electron configuration for Pu in homework or coursework.
Understand actinide filling order and 5f orbital behavior.
Verify quantum numbers for Plutonium's valence electrons.
Compare Plutonium's configuration with neighboring actinides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-24 · Reviewed by Nham Vu