Properties

Atomic Mass: 106.42

 Atomic Number: 46

 Melting Point: 1825°K, 1552°C

 Boiling Point: 3413°K, 2940°C

 Density in Natural State: Solid at 298°K, 11.99 grams per cubic centimeter at 20°C

 State at Room Temperature: Solid, Metal

 Chemical Properties/ Reaction Tendencies: 

    When palladium is at room temperature it has the unusual tendency of incorporating 900 times its own volume of hydrogen.  Hydrogen quickly dilutes through heated palladium.  Through this reaction, palladium is used as a purifier for the gas.  Palladium is bothered more commonly by acids than any of the other six platinum metals. It dissolves slowly in nitric acid to give palladium nitrate, Pd(NO₃)₂, and with sulfuric acid it generates palladium sulfate, PdSO₄2H₂O.  Palladium has one of the strongest tendencies to join with carbon, out of all of the transition metals. All palladium compounds are simply crumbled or reduced to the "free metal".

Explanation of Structure:

      Palladium is a silvery-white metal, with 46 protons and 60 neutrons.  It consists of 4 energy levels.  In energy level number 1, there are 2 electrons, in energy level number 2, there are 8 electrons.  In energy level number 3, there are 18 electrons, and in energy level number four there are also 18 electrons.