Element identity
Atomic data and 55Mn identity are evaluated.
Solid allotropes
Alpha, beta, gamma and delta manganese phases are experimentally established.
Transition references
Displayed solid-solid transition temperatures are reviewed teaching references and can vary slightly with conditions.
Alpha-Mn viewer
The actual alpha-Mn unit cell is complex; the viewer intentionally uses a simplified multi-site cubic motif.
Commodity geography
Selected mine-production points are dated commodity context.
The lens describes evidence status, not confidence theatre. “Unknown” is kept unknown, and teaching schematics are not presented as direct measurements.
Manganese (Mn)
Manganese is element 25, a transition metal with a half-filled 3d⁵ subshell, multiple oxidation states and an unusually rich sequence of solid allotropes before melting. Much of its industrial importance comes from steel and manganese compounds rather than pure metal.
Manganese atomic number, mass, electron configuration and key properties
Manganese: quick answers
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does manganese have?
Manganese’s atomic number is 25, so every manganese atom has 25 protons, and a neutral atom also has 25 electrons. Its most common natural isotope, manganese-55, has 30 neutrons (other isotopes have different neutron counts).
What is the symbol for manganese?
The chemical symbol for manganese is Mn.
Is manganese a solid, liquid or gas at room temperature?
Manganese is a solid at room temperature (about 25 °C).
What family (group) is manganese in?
Manganese is a transition metal, in group 7, period 4 of the periodic table.
What is the electron configuration of manganese?
The ground-state electron configuration of manganese is [Ar] 3d⁵ 4s².
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.
25 protons define manganese.
The reference ground-state configuration frames atomic and chemical behavior.
Periodic position organizes recurring trends without replacing element-specific evidence.
The teaching nucleus is one isotope, not the relative atomic mass.
Phase claims are evidence-labelled; unknown superheavy bulk boundaries are not fabricated.
Manganese in its period and family
Manganese sits in Group 7, Period 4 between chromium and iron. Its half-filled 3d⁵ subshell and accessible oxidation states underpin varied chemistry.
Manganese Visual Lab
Compare Mn with Mn²⁺, inspect the 3d probability model and a simplified α-Mn structure, then use the phase explorer to follow α→β→γ→δ manganese before melting and connect those changes to alloys and battery chemistry.
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.
Manganese in one minute
Atomic number 25 means 25 protons.
Neutral manganese has [Ar] 3d⁵ 4s².
Natural manganese is essentially monoisotopic ⁵⁵Mn.
Manganese has several solid allotropes before melting, not one fixed crystal structure at all temperatures.
Manganese compounds can have very different oxidation states and colors; metallic Mn is not permanganate or MnO₂.
Shell rings organize electron counts. They are not electron trajectories or orbital shapes.
2 · 8 · 13 · 2 electrons
The 3d models are representative probability distributions. They illustrate d-orbital angular shapes, not magnetic domains, chemical bonds or a metal band structure.
Room-temperature α-Mn has a complex cubic structure with many atoms in the unit cell. The viewer intentionally shows a simplified multi-site cubic teaching motif rather than claiming a full crystallographic reconstruction.. 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 3d models are representative probability distributions. They illustrate d-orbital angular shapes, not magnetic domains, chemical bonds or a metal band structure.
Where do I meet manganese?
Clickable learning cards connect the element to materials, environment, technology, biology or research - depending on what the evidence actually supports.
Steel alloys
Most manganese demand is tied to iron and steel, where manganese improves processing and material performance.
Four solid manganese allotropes before melting
Manganese shows why a single “crystal structure” label can be incomplete: temperature changes the stable solid phase repeatedly.
α-Mn · complex cubic
Room-temperature manganese has a structurally complex cubic alpha phase.
Chromium, manganese and iron
Neighboring d-block elements show related electron counts but sharply different solid structures and chemistry.
| Ground state | 3d⁵4s¹ |
|---|---|
| Ordinary solid | BCC |
| Ground state | 3d⁵4s² |
|---|---|
| Solid phases | α β γ δ |
| Ground state | 3d⁶4s² |
|---|---|
| Magnetism | ferromagnetic |
Manganese 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 | 25 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Relative atomic mass | 54.938 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Ground-state electron configuration | [Ar] 3d⁵ 4s² | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Group / period / block | Group 7 · Period 4 · d-block | Periodic-table placement | Evaluated |
| Electronegativity | 1.55 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Reference isotope | ⁵⁵Mn | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| State context | Hard brittle silvery solid at 20 °C | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Density | 7.3 g/cm³ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Material / molecular structure | α-manganese · complex cubic metal | Room-temperature α-Mn has a complex cubic structure with many atoms in the unit cell. The viewer intentionally shows a simplified multi-site cubic teaching motif rather than claiming a full crystallographic reconstruction. | Measured |
| Classification | Transition metal | Periodic-table / chemistry classification | Evaluated |
| Structure-model scope | Room-temperature α-Mn has a complex cubic structure with many atoms in the unit cell. The viewer intentionally shows a simplified multi-site cubic teaching motif rather than claiming a full crystallographic reconstruction. | Teaching visualization; exact crystallographic coordinates are not implied unless stated. | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting / transition reference | 1519 K | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Boiling / gas reference | 2334 K | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Phase-path context | On heating at approximately standard pressure, manganese passes through α, β, γ and δ solid allotropes before melting near 1519 K, then boiling near 2334 K. The explorer shows reviewed transition references rather than hiding solid-solid changes. | 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 | +2, +3, +4, +6, +7 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Ion / common ion context | Mn²⁺ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Periodic chemistry context | Manganese sits in Group 7, Period 4 between chromium and iron. Its half-filled 3d⁵ subshell and accessible oxidation states underpin varied chemistry. | Element-specific interpretation | Reviewed |
| Chemistry caution | Elemental form, ions and compounds are distinct chemical objects. | Interpretive teaching rule | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⁵⁵Mn | Stable · essentially all natural manganese | Reference teaching nucleus with 25 protons and 30 neutrons. | Evaluated |
| ⁵⁴Mn | Radioactive tracer isotope | Used in controlled research/monitoring contexts. | Evaluated |
| Manganese isotope context | Naturally monoisotopic | The single stable natural isotope makes Mn a useful contrast to multi-isotope elements. | Evaluated |
| Teaching nucleus | ⁵⁵Mn · 25 protons + 30 neutrons | Reference isotope used in the nucleus model | Reviewed |
Is Manganese a solid, liquid or gas? State at temperature
On heating at approximately standard pressure, manganese passes through α, β, γ and δ solid allotropes before melting near 1519 K, then boiling near 2334 K. The explorer shows reviewed transition references rather than hiding solid-solid changes.
Where on Earth is Manganese found or produced?
Who discovered Manganese, and when?
Johan Gottlieb Gahn isolated manganese metal from manganese dioxide-related material.
Manganese became increasingly important in steelmaking and alloy control.
Battery and chemical uses expanded alongside alloy production.
Manganese is a major alloying commodity and a key component of several battery/material chemistries.
From manganese ore to alloys and compounds: a high-level path
Manganese occurs in minerals and sedimentary/oxide deposits rather than as native metal.
Mining and beneficiation produce manganese ore/concentrates for metallurgical and chemical markets.
Most metallurgical manganese enters ferroalloys used in steelmaking; high-purity compounds feed batteries and chemicals.
Recycling occurs indirectly through steel scrap and, increasingly, battery-material recovery streams.
What is manganese used for?
Steelmaking
Manganese deoxidizes/desulfurizes melts and improves strength, workability and wear behavior.
Batteries
Manganese oxides and mixed transition-metal materials are active components in several primary and rechargeable battery systems.
Chemicals & pigments
Different manganese oxidation states support oxidants, catalysts, pigments and water-treatment chemistries.
Aluminium alloys
Small manganese additions improve selected aluminium alloy properties and corrosion behavior.
Manganese isotopes and natural abundance
⁵⁵Mn
Stable · essentially all natural manganeseReference teaching nucleus with 25 protons and 30 neutrons.
⁵⁴Mn
Radioactive tracer isotopeUsed in controlled research/monitoring contexts.
Manganese isotope context
Naturally monoisotopicThe single stable natural isotope makes Mn a useful contrast to multi-isotope elements.
Five-question Manganese check
What is manganese’s atomic number?
What is the ground-state configuration?
Does solid manganese have only one allotrope before melting?
What is manganese’s largest industrial role?
Why must Mn metal and permanganate be distinguished?
Manganese 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 manganese’s atomic number?
Short answer: 25.
Atomic number is defined by proton count, so 25 protons are what make an atom manganese. A neutral manganese atom also has 25 electrons, while isotopes can have different neutron counts without changing the element.
Key point: Atomic number = proton count.
Is manganese a metal?
Short answer: Yes. It is a transition metal, though much commercial manganese is used through alloys and compounds.
This guide classifies Manganese as a transition metal. Its periodic position is Period 4, d-block, Group 7. Manganese sits in Group 7, Period 4 between chromium and iron. Its half-filled 3d⁵ subshell and accessible oxidation states underpin varied chemistry.
Key point: Periodic-table classification describes recurring atomic/chemical behavior; it does not make every element in a column physically identical.
How many valence electrons does manganese have?
Short answer: Simple valence counting depends on context; the ground state is [Ar] 3d⁵4s², and multiple d/s electrons can participate in transition-metal chemistry.
The neutral-atom ground-state reference used on this page is [Ar] 3d⁵ 4s². 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 +2, +3, +4, +6, +7, 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.
What is manganese used for?
Short answer: Its largest role is steelmaking, with important battery and chemical uses as well.
Steelmaking: Manganese deoxidizes/desulfurizes melts and improves strength, workability and wear behavior. Batteries: Manganese oxides and mixed transition-metal materials are active components in several primary and rechargeable battery systems. Metallic Mn, Mn²⁺, MnO₂ and permanganate are different chemical forms. Their colors, structures, reactivity and uses should not be blended into one generic “manganese” description.
Key point: Always distinguish the pure element from the compound, alloy, isotope or device material that actually performs the application.
Why does manganese have many colors in compounds?
Short answer: Different oxidation states and coordination environments change electronic transitions and therefore color.
The ordinary elemental-material description used here is: Hard brittle silvery solid at 20 °C. Manganese compounds can have very different oxidation states and colors; metallic Mn is not permanganate or MnO₂.
Key point: Elemental appearance can differ from the colors of its ions, compounds, oxide films or host materials.
Does manganese have one crystal structure?
Short answer: No. α, β, γ and δ solid allotropes occur over different temperature ranges before melting.
Room-temperature α-Mn has a complex cubic structure with many atoms in the unit cell. The viewer intentionally shows a simplified multi-site cubic teaching motif rather than claiming a full crystallographic reconstruction. The Structure viewer is an evidence-aware teaching model: measured or defensible structures are shown as models, while genuinely unknown bulk structures remain explicitly unknown.
Key point: A teaching lattice is a scientific model, not a photograph of a finite chunk of material.
Scientific sources for Manganese
- Royal Society of Chemistry - Manganese
- NIST - Atomic Data for Manganese
- USGS - Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Questions to ask next about Manganese
A good element lesson should lead to the next useful question, not end after a list of facts.
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