Symbol
Ce
  
Cd
  
Group Number
Not Available
  
Period Number
6
  
5
  
Block
f block
  
d block
  
Element Family
Lanthanide
  
Transition Metal
  
Space Group Name
P63/mmc
  
P63/mmc
  
Interesting Facts
- Cerium is a rare earth metal but still it is not rare at all.
- It’s non-toxic compound Cerium sulfide has a rich red color and it is used as a pigment.
- Cerium metal is also used in Flat screen TVs, light bulb, floodlights, etc.
  
- Naturally occurring minor elements include Cadmium.
- Cadmium is released into atmosphere to control volcanic eruption and forest fires.
- It is used for electroplating of Steel for corrosion resistance.
- It can absorb neutrons and used in nuclear reactor to control atomic fission.
  
Sources
Found in Minerals, Mining, Ores of Minerals
  
Found As a By-product, Found in Minerals, Mining
  
History
  
  
Who Discovered
Martin Heinrich Klaproth, Jöns Jakob Berzelius, Wilhelm Hisinger
  
Karl Samuel Leberecht Hermann and Friedrich Stromeyer
  
Discovery
In 1803
  
In 1817
  
Abundance
  
  
Abundance In Sun
~0.0000004 %
  
23
~0.0000006 %
  
21
Abundance In Earth's Crust
Abundance In Humans
Not Available
  
Uses & Benefits
- It is used to include flints for cigarette lighters.
- Its compound Cerium (Ill) Oxide is used as a catalyst; it is put inside the walls of the oven as it prevents from the buildup of cooking residues.
  
- It has very limited uses as it is a toxic metal and it can cause birth defects, cancer, etc.
-
Almost 80% of Cadmium metal is used in Nickel cadmium Batteries and now it is getting replaced with nickel hydride.
  
Industrial Uses
Chemical Industry
  
Aerospace Industry, Ammunition Industry, Chemical Industry, Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
  
Medical Uses
Medical Research
  
NA
  
Other Uses
Alloys
  
Alloys
  
Biological Properties
  
  
Toxicity
Moderately Toxic
  
Toxic
  
Present in Human Body
Yes
  
Yes
  
In Blood
0.00 Blood/mg dm-3
  
30
0.01 Blood/mg dm-3
  
24
In Bone
2.70 p.p.m.
  
14
1.80 p.p.m.
  
15
Boiling Point
3,257.00 °C
  
23
Appearance
  
  
Physical State
Solid
  
Solid
  
Color
Silvery White
  
Silvery Bluish-Gray
  
Luster
Lustrous
  
Metallic
  
Hardness
  
  
Brinell Hardness
186.00 MPa
  
99+
Vickers Hardness
Not Available
  
Speed of Sound
2,100.00 m/s
  
99+
2,310.00 m/s
  
39
Optical Properties
  
  
Reflectivity
Not Available
  
Allotropes
No
  
No
  
α Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
β Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
γ Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Chemical Formula
Ce
  
Cd
  
Isotopes
  
  
Electronegativity
  
  
Pauling Electronegativity
Sanderson Electronegativity
Not Available
  
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
Mulliken-Jaffe Electronegativity
Not Available
  
Allen Electronegativity
Not Available
  
Electropositivity
  
  
Pauling Electropositivity
Ionization Energies
  
  
1st Energy Level
534.40 kJ/mol
  
99+
867.80 kJ/mol
  
11
2nd Energy Level
1,050.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
1,631.40 kJ/mol
  
32
3rd Energy Level
1,949.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
3,616.00 kJ/mol
  
13
4th Energy Level
3,547.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
Not Available
  
5th Energy Level
6,325.00 kJ/mol
  
22
Not Available
  
6th Energy Level
7,490.00 kJ/mol
  
21
Not Available
  
Electrochemical Equivalent
1.74 g/amp-hr
  
99+
2.10 g/amp-hr
  
27
Other Chemical Properties
Chemical Stability, Anti Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
  
Chemical Stability, Anti Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
  
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f1 5d1 6s2
  
[Kr] 4d10 5s2
  
Crystal Structure
Double Hexagonal Close Packed (DHCP)
  
Hexagonal Close Packed (HCP)
  
Crystal Lattice
DHCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Cerium.jpg#100
  
HCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Cadmium.jpg#100
  
Atom
  
  
Radius of an Atom
  
  
Atomic Weight
140.12 amu
  
99+
112.41 amu
  
99+
Atomic Volume
20.67 cm3/mol
  
17
13.10 cm3/mol
  
39
Adjacent Atomic Numbers
  
  
Valence Electron Potential
41.78 (-eV)
  
99+
30.00 (-eV)
  
99+
Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3
  
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3
  
Lattice C/A Ratio
Not Available
  
Density
  
  
Density At Room Temperature
6.77 g/cm3
  
99+
8.65 g/cm3
  
99+
Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
Tensile Strength
Not Available
  
Viscosity
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Vapor Pressure
  
  
Vapor Pressure at 1000 K
Not Available
  
Vapor Pressure at 2000 K
Not Available
  
Elasticity properties
  
  
Other Mechanical Properties
Ductile, Malleable
  
Ductile, Malleable
  
Magnetic Characteristics
  
  
Magnetic Ordering
Paramagnetic
  
Diamagnetic
  
Electrical Properties
  
  
Electrical Property
Conductor
  
Semiconductor
  
Electrical Conductivity
0.01 106/cm Ω
  
99+
0.14 106/cm Ω
  
15
Electron Affinity
50.00 kJ/mol
  
21
0.00 kJ/mol
  
40
Specific Heat
0.19 J/(kg K)
  
32
0.23 J/(kg K)
  
26
Molar Heat Capacity
26.94 J/mol·K
  
23
26.02 J/mol·K
  
32
Thermal Conductivity
11.30 W/m·K
  
99+
96.60 W/m·K
  
16
Critical Temperature
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Thermal Expansion
6.30 µm/(m·K)
  
99+
30.80 µm/(m·K)
  
10
Enthalpy
  
  
Enthalpy of Vaporization
414.00 kJ/mol
  
16
100.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
Enthalpy of Fusion
5.46 kJ/mol
  
99+
6.19 kJ/mol
  
99+
Enthalpy of Atomization
381.00 kJ/mol
  
23
113.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
Standard Molar Entropy
72.00 J/mol.K
  
12
51.80 J/mol.K
  
27