Element identity
Atomic number, symbol, relative atomic mass display and periodic position are established reference data.
Atomic / electronic model
Ground-state electron configuration and atomic reference values are compiled/evaluated data; orbital graphics are teaching probability models, not photographs.
Material / molecular structure
The displayed ordinary structure is based on established material or molecular science; simplified viewers are labelled as teaching schematics where exact crystallographic coordinates are not rendered.
Temperature / phase path
Transition values are reference/evaluated values for the stated teaching path; pressure, purity and allotropy can matter.
Geography
Real pins use reviewed place/dataset context. Conceptual layers are used when country pins would imply false occurrence, unsafe inventory or an incomplete global distribution.
The lens describes evidence status, not confidence theatre. “Unknown” is kept unknown, and teaching schematics are not presented as direct measurements.
Lithium (Li)
Lithium is element 3, the lightest metal and a Group 1 element with one outer 2s electron. Its modern story connects atomic structure to Li⁺ ion chemistry, rechargeable batteries, mineral and brine resources, and a distinctive crimson flame emission.
Lithium atomic number, mass, electron configuration and key properties
Lithium: quick answers
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does lithium have?
Lithium’s atomic number is 3, so every lithium atom has 3 protons, and a neutral atom also has 3 electrons. Its most common natural isotope, lithium-7, has 4 neutrons (other isotopes have different neutron counts).
What is the symbol for lithium?
The chemical symbol for lithium is Li.
Is lithium a solid, liquid or gas at room temperature?
Lithium is a solid at room temperature (about 25 °C).
What family (group) is lithium in?
Lithium is an alkali metal, in group 1, period 2 of the periodic table.
How many valence electrons does lithium have?
Lithium has 1 valence electron, the single electron in its outer shell, which matches its position in group 1.
What is the electron configuration of lithium?
The ground-state electron configuration of lithium is [He] 2s¹.
From atomic number to chemistry
Read these as a chain of causes, not as isolated facts. Each step links to the concept hub if you want the underlying idea explained.
Three protons define lithium; neutral Li also has three electrons.
One outer 2s electron drives the characteristic +1 chemistry.
Lithium starts the alkali-metal column in Period 2.
Natural lithium is a two-isotope mixture dominated by ⁷Li.
Lithium is a very light metallic solid at room temperature.
Lithium in its period and family
Lithium begins Group 1 in Period 2. Its single outer 2s electron explains the strong tendency to form Li⁺, while its small ion size makes its chemistry different in important ways from the heavier alkali metals.
Lithium Visual Lab
Decode lithium’s tile, compare neutral Li with Li⁺ shell counts, rotate a ⁷Li teaching nucleus and BCC lithium cell, inspect the occupied 2s probability model, and connect atomic structure to batteries, resources, flame emission and recycling.
Every mark points to one exact feature
The numbered markers explain the same information system used throughout Element Lookup. Unknown or predicted fields remain visibly labelled rather than being replaced with guesses.
Lithium in one minute
Atomic number 3 means every lithium nucleus contains 3 protons.
Neutral lithium has the ground-state configuration [He] 2s¹.
Lithium usually forms Li⁺ by losing its single outer 2s electron.
Lithium is the least-dense metal at ordinary conditions.
Battery materials contain lithium in compounds and ions; a battery electrode is not a block of elemental lithium.
Shell rings organize electron counts. They are not electron trajectories or orbital shapes.
2 · 1 electrons
The occupied 2s cloud is a spherical probability model with one radial node in a hydrogen-like teaching approximation. It is not an electron orbit and it does not show the band structure of lithium metal.
Lithium is commonly represented as body-centred cubic near room temperature; the viewer is a conventional-cell teaching schematic, not a crystallographic coordinate file.. The viewer is evidence-aware: measured structures are identified as such; unknown bulk structures stay unknown.
Teaching visualization; not a literal finite sample or thermal trajectory.What this model does—and does not—show
The occupied 2s cloud is a spherical probability model with one radial node in a hydrogen-like teaching approximation. It is not an electron orbit and it does not show the band structure of lithium metal.
Where do I meet lithium?
Clickable learning cards connect the element to materials, environment, technology, biology or research - depending on what the evidence actually supports.
Rechargeable batteries
Lithium ions move between host materials in many rechargeable batteries; the active materials are lithium compounds rather than pieces of lithium metal.
Metal atom, Li+ ion and battery material are different objects
Lithium is best understood by following the same element through different chemical roles rather than treating every “lithium” label as metallic Li.
Elemental lithium
Neutral lithium metal has one outer 2s electron and metallic bonding; it is not the ordinary form moving through a lithium-ion cathode.
Lithium, sodium and potassium: one outer electron, different materials
The alkali metals share an ns1 outer-shell pattern, but size, density and melting behavior change down the group.
| Valence | 2s¹ |
|---|---|
| Density | 0.534 g/cm³ |
| Melt | 453.65 K |
| Valence | 3s¹ |
|---|---|
| Common ion | Na⁺ |
| Valence | 4s¹ |
|---|---|
| Common ion | K⁺ |
Lithium properties: atomic, physical, thermal and chemical
Categories follow the science of this element rather than a fixed decorative template. Each row carries condition/provenance context and an evidence label; unknown values stay unknown.
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic number | 3 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Relative atomic mass | 6.94 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Ground-state electron configuration | [He] 2s¹ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Group / period / block | Group 1 · Period 2 · s-block | Periodic-table placement | Evaluated |
| Electronegativity | 0.98 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Reference isotope | ⁷Li | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| State context | Soft silvery solid at 20 °C | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Density | 0.534 g/cm³ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Material / molecular structure | Lithium metal · body-centred cubic | Lithium is commonly represented as body-centred cubic near room temperature; the viewer is a conventional-cell teaching schematic, not a crystallographic coordinate file. | Measured |
| Classification | Alkali metal | Periodic-table / chemistry classification | Evaluated |
| Structure-model scope | Lithium is commonly represented as body-centred cubic near room temperature; the viewer is a conventional-cell teaching schematic, not a crystallographic coordinate file. | Teaching visualization; exact crystallographic coordinates are not implied unless stated. | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting / transition reference | 453.65 K | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Boiling / gas reference | 1615 K | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Phase-path context | On an approximately standard-pressure teaching path, lithium is solid below about 453.65 K, liquid from melting to about 1615 K, and gaseous above the boiling reference. High-pressure phases are outside this introductory model. | Shared phase registry drives the slider, regions and markers. | Evaluated |
| Condition warning | Temperature and pressure define phase behavior; purity/allotropy may matter. | Teaching condition statement | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary electrical behavior | Metallic conductor | Qualitative bulk behavior; exact resistivity depends on temperature, purity and alloy state. | Measured |
| Conduction model | Collective solid-state electrons | Do not interpret isolated-atom orbital clouds as literal current paths. | Reviewed |
| Surface / compound caveat | Oxides, salts and alloys can behave differently from the pure metal | Material context | Reviewed |
| Engineering values | Condition-dependent | Use condition-specific materials data for engineering calculations. | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common oxidation states | +1 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Ion / common ion context | Li⁺ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Periodic chemistry context | Lithium begins Group 1 in Period 2. Its single outer 2s electron explains the strong tendency to form Li⁺, while its small ion size makes its chemistry different in important ways from the heavier alkali metals. | Element-specific interpretation | Reviewed |
| Chemistry caution | Elemental form, ions and compounds are distinct chemical objects. | Interpretive teaching rule | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⁷Li | Stable · dominant natural isotope | The teaching nucleus shown here contains 3 protons and 4 neutrons. | Evaluated |
| ⁶Li | Stable · minor natural isotope | A naturally occurring lithium isotope with important nuclear-science applications; natural abundance is much lower than ⁷Li. | Evaluated |
| Lithium isotope mixture | Two stable natural isotopes | Natural lithium is an evaluated mixture of ⁶Li and ⁷Li, so the relative atomic mass is not an integer. | Evaluated |
| Teaching nucleus | ⁷Li · 3 protons + 4 neutrons | Reference isotope used in the nucleus model | Reviewed |
Is Lithium a solid, liquid or gas? State at temperature
On an approximately standard-pressure teaching path, lithium is solid below about 453.65 K, liquid from melting to about 1615 K, and gaseous above the boiling reference. High-pressure phases are outside this introductory model.
Where on Earth is Lithium found or produced?
Who discovered Lithium, and when?
Johan August Arfwedson identified a new element while analyzing the mineral petalite in Sweden.
Lithium compounds became useful in glass, ceramics and chemical applications before large modern battery demand.
Lithium-ion battery chemistry transformed portable electronics and later electric mobility and grid storage.
Lithium is a strategic battery and materials commodity with active research in extraction, cathodes, electrolytes and recycling.
From lithium resource to engineered material: a high-level path
Lithium-bearing hard-rock ores or brines are extracted using region-specific methods.
Mineral processing or brine concentration separates lithium-bearing feed from much larger amounts of other material.
Chemical conversion produces lithium compounds such as carbonate or hydroxide to defined specifications; this page intentionally stays non-operational.
Battery, glass, ceramic and other manufacturers use those compounds, while recycling can return lithium-bearing material to the supply chain.
What is lithium used for?
Batteries
Lithium compounds and Li⁺ transport are central to many rechargeable battery chemistries.
Glass & ceramics
Lithium compounds can modify thermal expansion, melting behavior and other properties in specialty glasses and ceramics.
Greases
Lithium soaps are widely used to formulate lubricating greases.
Lightweight alloys
Lithium can be used in specialized aluminium and magnesium alloys where low density matters.
Lithium isotopes and natural abundance
⁷Li
Stable · dominant natural isotopeThe teaching nucleus shown here contains 3 protons and 4 neutrons.
⁶Li
Stable · minor natural isotopeA naturally occurring lithium isotope with important nuclear-science applications; natural abundance is much lower than ⁷Li.
Lithium isotope mixture
Two stable natural isotopesNatural lithium is an evaluated mixture of ⁶Li and ⁷Li, so the relative atomic mass is not an integer.
Five-question Lithium check
What is lithium’s atomic number?
How many outer-shell electrons does neutral lithium have?
Which ion is characteristic of lithium chemistry?
Which statement about lithium-ion batteries is best?
What crystal teaching model is used for room-temperature lithium?
Lithium questions students commonly ask
Each answer starts with the direct fact, then explains the chemistry, evidence or material context so the result is understandable rather than merely memorized.
What is lithium’s atomic number?
Short answer: Lithium is atomic number 3, so every lithium nucleus contains three protons.
Atomic number is defined by proton count, so 3 protons are what make an atom lithium. A neutral lithium atom also has 3 electrons, while isotopes can have different neutron counts without changing the element.
Key point: Atomic number = proton count.
Is lithium a metal?
Short answer: Yes. Lithium is an alkali metal in Group 1 and is the least-dense metal at ordinary conditions.
This guide classifies Lithium as an alkali metal. Its periodic position is Period 2, s-block, Group 1. Lithium begins Group 1 in Period 2. Its single outer 2s electron explains the strong tendency to form Li⁺, while its small ion size makes its chemistry different in important ways from the heavier alkali metals.
Key point: Periodic-table classification describes recurring atomic/chemical behavior; it does not make every element in a column physically identical.
What is lithium’s electron configuration?
Short answer: The neutral ground-state configuration is [He] 2s¹.
The neutral-atom ground-state reference used on this page is [He] 2s¹. This is an isolated-atom reference: bonding and ion formation can change which outer electrons are present or chemically active. The listed common oxidation-state context is +1, which helps connect the atomic configuration to ordinary chemistry without treating electron counting as a single universal rule.
Key point: Electron configuration is a ground-state atomic reference, not a literal picture of every compound.
Why does lithium form Li⁺?
Short answer: Losing the single outer 2s electron leaves a closed 1s² shell, so +1 is lithium’s characteristic oxidation state.
Lithium usually forms Li⁺ by losing its single outer 2s electron. Lithium begins Group 1 in Period 2. Its single outer 2s electron explains the strong tendency to form Li⁺, while its small ion size makes its chemistry different in important ways from the heavier alkali metals.
Key point: The mechanism matters: connect the observed behavior to electron structure, bonding, phase or the specific material form rather than memorizing the result alone.
Is the lithium in a battery lithium metal?
Short answer: Usually no. In conventional lithium-ion cells, lithium is present as ions within compounds and host materials; metallic lithium is used only in particular battery designs.
This guide classifies Lithium as an alkali metal. Its periodic position is Period 2, s-block, Group 1. Lithium begins Group 1 in Period 2. Its single outer 2s electron explains the strong tendency to form Li⁺, while its small ion size makes its chemistry different in important ways from the heavier alkali metals.
Key point: Periodic-table classification describes recurring atomic/chemical behavior; it does not make every element in a column physically identical.
What color does lithium produce in a flame test?
Short answer: Lithium compounds can give a crimson-red emission, although flame-test observations depend on conditions and contamination.
The ordinary elemental-material description used here is: Soft silvery solid at 20 °C. Flame emission Lithium compounds can produce a crimson-red flame emission, a useful link between atomic energy levels and spectroscopy.
Key point: Elemental appearance can differ from the colors of its ions, compounds, oxide films or host materials.
How many valence electrons does lithium have?
Short answer: One. Neutral lithium has the ground-state configuration [He] 2s¹, so it has one valence electron.
The neutral-atom ground-state reference used on this page is [He] 2s¹. This is an isolated-atom reference: bonding and ion formation can change which outer electrons are present or chemically active. The listed common oxidation-state context is +1, which helps connect the atomic configuration to ordinary chemistry without treating electron counting as a single universal rule.
Key point: Electron configuration is a ground-state atomic reference, not a literal picture of every compound.
Scientific sources for Lithium
- Royal Society of Chemistry - Lithium
- NIST - Atomic Data for Lithium
- USGS - Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Questions to ask next about Lithium
A good element lesson should lead to the next useful question, not end after a list of facts.
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