Manganese has 25 electrons in a neutral atom. This number corresponds to its atomic number, which defines the element. The electron configuration is [Ar] 3d⁵ 4s², meaning it has 5 unpaired electrons in its 3d orbitals and 2 electrons in its 4s orbital. Manganese is element 25 on the periodic table, and in its ground state, a neutral manganese atom contains exactly 25 electrons to balance its 25 protons in the nucleus. However, manganese commonly forms ions by losing electrons—most notably Mn²⁺ (with 23 electrons) and Mn³⁺ (with 22 electrons)—so the electron count varies depending on the oxidation state and ionic form of the element.