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Lithium Element - Symbol, Electronic Configuration, Properties

Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025

Lithium is an important element that belongs to alkali metal group in periodic table. Lithium is the lightest solid metal. It is represented with the symbol "Li". Lithium was discovered by scientist Johan August Arfvedson in the year 1817. In this article, we will discuss the complete details about Lithium including what is Lithium, its properties, uses and many other important terms.

Lithium Element

Symbol

Li

Atomic Number

3

Atomic Mass

6.941

Discovered by

Johan August Arfvedson (1792-1841)

What is Lithium

Lithium is an element which is solid at room temperature. Lithium belongs to group 1 in periodic table. It is the lightest solid element. Lithium is soft and generally found in silvery white color. It is an alkali group metal. Atomic number of lithium is 3 and the symbol is "Li". It is least dense solid metal. Lithium is highly reactive and flammable element. The density of lithium is equal to the half of the density of water.

Lithium Symbol

The symbol of lithium element is shown in the picture below:

👁 Lithium-Element-Symbol

Lithium Element Details

The detailed data of lithium element is tabulated below:

Character

Details

Symbol

Li

Group

1

Period

2

Family Group

Alkali

Atomic Number

3

Atomic Mass

6.941

Block

s

Electron configuration

[He] 2s1

State at 20°C

Solid

Melting point

180.5 °C (454K)

Boiling point

1342 °C (1615K)

Density (g cm−3)

0.534

Key isotopes

7Li, 6Li

Critical point

3220 K, 67 MPa

Heat of fusion

3.00 kJ/mol

Heat of vaporization

136 kJ/mol

Molar heat capacity

24.860 J/(mol·K)

Oxidation states

+1 (a strongly basic oxide)

Electronegativity

Pauling scale: 0.98

Natural occurrence

primordial

Crystal structure

​body-centered cubic

Lattice constant

a = 350.93 pm (at 20 °C)

Thermal expansion

46.56×10−6/K (at 20 °C)

Thermal conductivity

84.8 W/(m⋅K)

Magnetic ordering

paramagnetic

Molar magnetic susceptibility

+14.2 × 10-6 cm3/mol (298 K)

Young's modulus

4.9 GPa

Shear modulus

4.2 GPa

Bulk modulus

11 GPa

Properties Of Lithium

We can study the properties of lithium by classifying them in two categories. These are:

  • Physical Properties of Sulfur
  • Chemical Properties of Sulfur

Physical properties of Lithium

Lithium has several physical properties. These physical properties are given below -

  • At room temperature, lithium is solid element.
  • Lithium is very soft type metal.
  • It occurs in silver white color or gray color.
  • It is least dense solid metal. Its density is less than water.
  • Lithium is the lightest solid metal.
  • It is found in the first group as an alkali group member.
  • Its atomic number is 3 and atomic mass is 6.941.
  • Boiling point and melting point of lithium is 1342oc and 180.2oc respectively.
  • It has very high specific hear and thermal conductivity. The specific heat and thermal conductivity of lithium are 3582J/Kg−K and 84.8W/mK respectively.

Chemical Properties of Lithium

The chemical properties of lithium are as follows:

  • Lithium is a very reactive element. It reacts with several organic reagents as well as many inorganic reagents.
  • When it comes to air, it burns with a red color flame and produce lithium monoxide (Li2O).

4Li + O2 = 2Li2O

  • Lithium oxide reacts with acids to produce their respective salts and water.

Li2O + 2HCl → 2LiCl + H2O

  • Lithium oxide reacts with water to form lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.

2Li2O + 2H2O→ 4LiOH + H2

  • Lithium is the only alkali metal that reacts with nitrogen to form lithium nitrite.

6Li + N2 → 2Li3N

  • Lithium reacts with hydrogen to form lithium hydride. It is a quick reaction.

2Li + H2 → 2LiH

  • Lithium reacts with the carbon to form lithium carbide (Li2C2).

10Li + 2CO2 → Li2C2 + 4Li2O

  • Due to extreme small size of its cation, it reacts with halogens to form ionic halides.

2Li + X2 → 2LiX (X = F, Cl, ,Br, I)

Uses of Lithium

Lithium is very useful metal. It has many uses in various sectors. The uses of lithium are as follows:

  • Lithium is extensively used to manufacture lithium-ion batteries for mobile phones, cameras, smartphones, and electric vehicles.
  • It is used to make an alloy.
  • Alloys of lithium with aluminum, copper are used to manufacture parts of aircraft and high speed trains.
  • To manufacture glasses and ceramics, lithium oxide is used.
  • Lithium hydroxide is commonly used as Lubricating greases.
  • In air-conditioning and industrial drying systems, lithium chloride is used.
  • Lithium carbonate is used in medical purposes as an antidepressant .

Facts About Lithium

The interesting facts about lithium is mentioned below:

  • The name Lithium is derived from the ancient Greek work "Lithos" that means stone.
  • Lithium is high reactive and flammable.
  • Lithium is the lowest density metal among all metals. Its density is equal to the half of the density of water.
  • Lithium does not found freely in nature.
  • It is found in salts and minerals.
  • A large amount of lithium is extracted from Chile, Argentina and Bolivia.
  • In order to reserve the maximum amount of lithium in world, Chile is in first place followed by Australia.

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