Manganese (Mn)
"The Steel Stabilizer, the unsung hero of steel production, essential for making it strong and workable."
A memorable persona to anchor Mn in your mind.
7.21
Grams per cm³
1246
Celsius (°C)
197
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
Manganese is found in the steel rails of a train track.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1774
Discovered By
Johan Gottlieb Gahn
Origin of Name
"The name Manganese comes from either the Latin for magnet (magnes) or from black magnesium oxide (magnesia nigra)"
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
54.938 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
2060°C
Electron Configuration
[Ar] 3d54s2
1st Ionization Energy
7.434 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"Manganese is a hard, brittle, silvery metal."
Did You Know?
It is essential for making steel and is so important that it's nearly impossible to make steel without it; it removes oxygen and sulfur and adds strength.
Early cave paintings dating back 30,000 years were made using black pigments from manganese oxides.
The human body needs manganese as an essential trace nutrient to help activate enzymes and support bone health.
Some bacteria get their energy by metabolizing manganese, leaving behind deposits that can clog water pipes.