Symbol
La
  
Ac
  
Group Number
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Period Number
6
  
7
  
Block
f block
  
f block
  
Element Family
Lanthanide
  
Actinide
  
Space Group Name
P63/mmc
  
Fm_ 3m
  
Interesting Facts
- Lanthanum metal is highly malleable, ductile and sectile.
- If exposed to air Lanthanum metal oxidizes rapidly.
  
Not Available
  
Sources
Found in Minerals, Mining, Ores of Minerals
  
Obtained by Treating Radium with Neutrons, Ores of metals
  
History
  
  
Who Discovered
Carl Gustaf Mosander
  
Friedrich Oskar Giesel
  
Discovery
In 1838
  
In 1902
  
Abundance
  
  
Abundance In Universe
Not Available
  
Abundance In Sun
~0.0000002 %
  
25
~-9999 %
  
Abundance In Meteorites
Not Available
  
Abundance In Earth's Crust
Not Available
  
Abundance In Oceans
Not Available
  
Uses & Benefits
- It has no commercial uses, but its alloys are in high demand. Lanthanum and Nickel alloy is used for the hydrogen gas storage.
- The best-known use for mischmetal alloy of Lanthanum is; as a ‘flints’ for cigarette lighters.
  
- Actinium metal has a great source of alpha rays but it is hardly used outside research purpose.
  
Industrial Uses
Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
  
NA
  
Medical Uses
NA
  
NA
  
Other Uses
Alloys, Mirror Manufacturing
  
Alloys, Nuclear Research, Research Purposes
  
Biological Properties
  
  
Toxicity
Low Toxic
  
Toxic
  
Present in Human Body
Yes
  
No
  
In Blood
Not Available
  
0.00 Blood/mg dm-3
  
37
In Bone
0.08 p.p.m.
  
24
0.00 p.p.m.
  
36
Melting Point
1,227.00 °C
  
38
Boiling Point
3,469.00 °C
  
18
3,200.00 °C
  
26
Appearance
  
  
Physical State
Solid
  
Solid
  
Color
Silvery White
  
Silvery White
  
Luster
NA
  
NA
  
Hardness
  
  
Mohs Hardness
Not Available
  
Brinell Hardness
Not Available
  
Vickers Hardness
Not Available
  
Speed of Sound
2,475.00 m/s
  
37
Not Available
  
Optical Properties
  
  
Allotropes
No
  
No
  
α Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
β Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
γ Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Chemical Formula
La
  
Ac
  
Isotopes
  
  
Electronegativity
  
  
Pauling Electronegativity
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
Electropositivity
  
  
Pauling Electropositivity
Ionization Energies
  
  
1st Energy Level
538.10 kJ/mol
  
99+
499.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
2nd Energy Level
1,067.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
1,170.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
3rd Energy Level
1,850.30 kJ/mol
  
99+
1,900.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
4th Energy Level
4,819.00 kJ/mol
  
22
4,700.00 kJ/mol
  
23
5th Energy Level
5,940.00 kJ/mol
  
25
Not Available
  
Electrochemical Equivalent
1.73 g/amp-hr
  
99+
2.82 g/amp-hr
  
18
Electron Work Function
Not Available
  
Other Chemical Properties
Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
  
Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Radioactivity, Solubility
  
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 5d2 6s2
  
[Rn] 6d1 7s2
  
Crystal Structure
Double Hexagonal Close Packed (DHCP)
  
Face Centered Cubic (FCC)
  
Crystal Lattice
DHCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Lanthanum.jpg#100
  
FCC-Crystal-Structure-of-Actinium.jpg#100
  
Atom
  
  
Radius of an Atom
  
  
Covalent Radius
Not Available
  
Van der Waals Radius
Not Available
  
Atomic Weight
138.91 amu
  
99+
Atomic Volume
20.73 cm3/mol
  
16
22.54 cm3/mol
  
11
Adjacent Atomic Numbers
  
  
Valence Electron Potential
40.71 (-eV)
  
99+
38.60 (-eV)
  
99+
Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3
  
π/2, π/2, π/2
  
Lattice C/A Ratio
Not Available
  
Density
  
  
Density At Room Temperature
6.16 g/cm3
  
99+
10.00 g/cm3
  
37
Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
5.94 g/cm3
  
99+
Not Available
  
Tensile Strength
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Viscosity
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Vapor Pressure
  
  
Vapor Pressure at 2000 K
Not Available
  
Elasticity properties
  
  
Shear Modulus
Not Available
  
Bulk Modulus
Not Available
  
Young's Modulus
Not Available
  
Poisson Ratio
Not Available
  
Other Mechanical Properties
Ductile
  
NA
  
Magnetic Characteristics
  
  
Magnetic Ordering
Paramagnetic
  
Paramagnetic
  
Electrical Properties
  
  
Electrical Property
Conductor
  
Unknown
  
Resistivity
Not Available
  
Electrical Conductivity
0.01 10
6/cm Ω
  
99+
Not Available
  
Electron Affinity
48.00 kJ/mol
  
23
Not Available
  
Specific Heat
0.19 J/(kg K)
  
32
0.12 J/(kg K)
  
40
Molar Heat Capacity
27.11 J/mol·K
  
21
27.20 J/mol·K
  
18
Thermal Conductivity
13.40 W/m·K
  
99+
12.00 W/m·K
  
99+
Critical Temperature
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Thermal Expansion
12.10 µm/(m·K)
  
32
Not Available
  
Enthalpy
  
  
Enthalpy of Vaporization
399.60 kJ/mol
  
17
Not Available
  
Enthalpy of Fusion
6.20 kJ/mol
  
99+
Not Available
  
Enthalpy of Atomization
431.00 kJ/mol
  
16
301.00 kJ/mol
  
36
Standard Molar Entropy
56.90 J/mol.K
  
23
56.50 J/mol.K
  
25