Iodine (I)
"The Antiseptic, a hero who purifies wounds and keeps the body's metabolism in check."
A memorable persona to anchor I in your mind.
4.933
Grams per cm³
113.7
Celsius (°C)
198
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
Iodine is found in the antiseptic used to clean a cut or scrape.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1811
Discovered By
Bernard Courtois
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the Greek ''iodes'' meaning violet."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
126.904 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
184.4°C
Electron Configuration
[Kr] 4d105s25p5
1st Ionization Energy
10.451 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"Iodine is a shiny, purplish-black, crystalline solid."
Did You Know?
It has the unusual property of subliming, which means when heated, it turns from a solid directly into a deep violet-colored gas, bypassing the liquid state.
Iodine is an essential nutrient for humans, required by the thyroid gland to produce hormones that regulate metabolism. A deficiency causes goiter.
Tincture of iodine, an iodine solution, was one of the first and most effective antiseptics for wounds.
The element was discovered by accident by Bernard Courtois in 1811 when he was processing seaweed ash to produce saltpeter for Napoleon's armies.