Lanthanides: Rare Earth Elements

Ce

Cerium

Most Abundant

Atomic Number 58

Atomic Mass 140.12 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f¹ 5d¹ 6s²

Common Ions Ce³⁺, Ce⁴⁺

Melting Point 795°C

Density 6.77 g/cm³

Cerium is the most abundant rare earth element and is used in self-cleaning ovens!

Properties: Most abundant rare earth, silvery, reactive, pyrophoric

Applications: Catalytic converters, glass polishing, lighter flints, LEDs

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Pr

Praseodymium

Yellow Color

Atomic Number 59

Atomic Mass 140.91 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f³ 6s²

Common Ions Pr³⁺, Pr⁴⁺

Melting Point 931°C

Density 6.77 g/cm³

Praseodymium is used to create the yellow color in welder's goggles!

Properties: Soft, silvery, malleable, paramagnetic

Applications: Aircraft engines, welder's goggles, studio lighting, magnets

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Nd

Neodymium

Strong Magnets

Atomic Number 60

Atomic Mass 144.24 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f⁴ 6s²

Common Ions Nd³⁺

Melting Point 1024°C

Density 7.01 g/cm³

Neodymium makes the strongest permanent magnets - they can lift over 1000 times their own weight!

Properties: Strongly magnetic, silvery, tarnishes in air

Applications: Powerful magnets, headphones, electric motors, lasers

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Pm

Promethium

Radioactive

Atomic Number 61

Atomic Mass [145] u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f⁵ 6s²

Common Ions Pm³⁺

Melting Point 1042°C

Density 7.26 g/cm³

Promethium is the only radioactive lanthanide - it was named after Prometheus who stole fire from the gods!

Properties: Radioactive, silvery, glows pale blue/green

Applications: Nuclear batteries, luminous paint, thickness gauges

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Sm

Samarium

Named After Person

Atomic Number 62

Atomic Mass 150.36 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f⁶ 6s²

Common Ions Sm²⁺, Sm³⁺

Melting Point 1072°C

Density 7.52 g/cm³

Samarium was the first element to be named after a person - Russian mining engineer Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets!

Properties: Silvery, moderately hard, paramagnetic

Applications: Powerful magnets, cancer treatment, carbon arc lighting

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Eu

Europium

Anti-Counterfeit

Atomic Number 63

Atomic Mass 151.96 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f⁷ 6s²

Common Ions Eu²⁺, Eu³⁺

Melting Point 822°C

Density 5.24 g/cm³

Europium is used in Euro banknotes to prevent counterfeiting - it glows red under UV light!

Properties: Soft, silvery, most reactive lanthanide

Applications: TV phosphors, euro banknotes, fluorescent lamps, lasers

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Gd

Gadolinium

MRI Contrast

Atomic Number 64

Atomic Mass 157.25 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f⁷ 5d¹ 6s²

Common Ions Gd³⁺

Melting Point 1312°C

Density 7.90 g/cm³

Gadolinium is used in MRI contrast agents because it's highly magnetic and non-toxic!

Properties: Magnetic, silvery-white, absorbs neutrons

Applications: MRI contrast, nuclear reactors, computer memory

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Tb

Terbium

Green Tech

Atomic Number 65

Atomic Mass 158.93 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f⁹ 6s²

Common Ions Tb³⁺, Tb⁴⁺

Melting Point 1356°C

Density 8.23 g/cm³

Terbium is used in "green" technology - it makes the green color in TV screens and energy-efficient fluorescent lamps!

Properties: Silvery-gray, malleable, ductile, paramagnetic

Applications: Solid-state devices, fuel cells, fluorescent lamps, sonar systems

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Dy

Dysprosium

Hard to Get

Atomic Number 66

Atomic Mass 162.50 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f¹⁰ 6s²

Common Ions Dy³⁺

Melting Point 1412°C

Density 8.55 g/cm³

Dysprosium's name comes from the Greek word "dysprositos" meaning "hard to get" because it was so difficult to isolate!

Properties: Bright silvery, soft, high magnetic strength

Applications: Neodymium magnets, nuclear reactors, data storage

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Ho

Holmium

Highest Magnetism

Atomic Number 67

Atomic Mass 164.93 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f¹¹ 6s²

Common Ions Ho³⁺

Melting Point 1474°C

Density 8.80 g/cm³

Holmium has the highest magnetic strength of any element - it's used to create the strongest magnetic fields!

Properties: Silvery-white, soft, malleable, highest magnetic strength

Applications: Magnets, nuclear control rods, microwave equipment

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Er

Erbium

Fiber Optics

Atomic Number 68

Atomic Mass 167.26 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f¹² 6s²

Common Ions Er³⁺

Melting Point 1529°C

Density 9.07 g/cm³

Erbium is used in fiber optic cables to amplify signals - it's why we have fast internet!

Properties: Soft, malleable, silvery, pink-colored salts

Applications: Fiber optics, lasers, nuclear technology, pink glass

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Tm

Thulium

Rarest

Atomic Number 69

Atomic Mass 168.93 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f¹³ 6s²

Common Ions Tm³⁺

Melting Point 1545°C

Density 9.32 g/cm³

Thulium is the rarest naturally occurring lanthanide - there's only about 0.5 mg of it in an iPhone!

Properties: Bright, silvery-gray, soft, malleable

Applications: Portable X-ray machines, lasers, superconductors

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Yb

Ytterbium

Named After Ytterby

Atomic Number 70

Atomic Mass 173.05 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 6s²

Common Ions Yb²⁺, Yb³⁺

Melting Point 819°C

Density 6.90 g/cm³

Ytterbium is one of four elements named after the Swedish village Ytterby!

Properties: Soft, malleable, bright silvery luster

Applications: Stainless steel, lasers, atomic clocks, stress gauges

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Lu

Lutetium

Hardest & Densest

Atomic Number 71

Atomic Mass 174.97 u

Electron Config [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹ 6s²

Common Ions Lu³⁺

Melting Point 1663°C

Density 9.84 g/cm³

Lutetium is the hardest and densest of all lanthanides and is also the most expensive!

Properties: Hard, dense, silvery-white, stable in air

Applications: Petroleum cracking catalysts, cancer treatment, LED lights

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LANTHANIDES: RARE EARTH ELEMENTS

Lanthanides Overview

Cerium

Praseodymium

Neodymium

Promethium

Samarium

Europium

Gadolinium

Terbium

Dysprosium

Holmium

Erbium

Thulium

Ytterbium

Lutetium