Question

Symbol of palladium is:
A) Pl
B) Pd
C) Pi
D) Pm

Answer 1

Hint: Palladium belongs to the d-block of the periodic table, and comes after nickel and before platinum in the period 5 of the periodic table. Its atomic number is 46. You have seen that palladium is used as a Lindlar catalyst. Recall the chemical formula of Lindlar catalyst.

Complete answer:
Palladium is a chemical element belonging to group 10 and period 5 of the periodic table. Its atomic number (Z) is 46 and its chemical symbol is ‘Pd’. It belongs to the d-block of the periodic table, thus it is a transition metal. Its electronic configuration is:
$Kr[4d^{10}]$. Distribution of electrons per shell is 2, 8, 18, 18. Its atomic weight is 106. Its appearance is silvery white, thus it is a soft-white metal. It belongs to the platinum group metals and resembles platinum too. It does not react with atmospheric oxygen at standard temperature and does not even tarnish.

Thus, option B i.e. Pd is the correct answer.

Additional information: Some notable applications of palladium, Pd are:
- Palladium has a large application in catalytic convertors. Finely powdered palladium on carbon is a versatile catalyst. It speeds up heterogeneous catalytic reactions like dehydrogenation, hydrogenation. Palladium is also significant as a Lindlar catalyst. Chemical formula of the Lindlar catalyst is $H_2/Pd/CaC{O}_3$.
- A large number of reactions in organic chemistry including carbon-carbon bonding are facilitated by palladium compounds.
- It is also used widely to make jewelleries.

Note: It was observed that naturally occuring Pd is composed of seven isotopes. The most stable radioisotopes are ${}^{107}Pd$, ${}^{103}Pd$, and ${}^{100}Pd$. ${}^{107}Ag$ isotope is a decay product of a palladium isotope and it is ${}^{107}Pd$.