Element Family
Lanthanide
Transition Metal
Space Group Name
Fm_ 3m
P63/mmc
Interesting Facts
- Ytterbium metal oxidizes rapidly if exposed to air.
- Ytterbium metal can dissolve quickly in Mineral acid.
- 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
Who Discovered
Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac
Karl Samuel Leberecht Hermann and Friedrich Stromeyer
Discovery
In 1878
In 1817
Abundance In Earth's Crust
Uses & Benefits
- Ytterbium metal is used in memory devices and tuneable laser.
-
It is also used as industrial catalyst as the other catalysts are too toxic and polluting.
- 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
Automobile Industry, Chemical Industry
Aerospace Industry, Ammunition Industry, Chemical Industry, Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
Toxicity
Highly Toxic
Toxic
Present in Human Body
No
Yes
Physical State
Solid
Solid
Color
Silvery White
Silvery Bluish-Gray
Pauling Electronegativity
Sanderson Electronegativity
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
Mulliken-Jaffe Electronegativity
Pauling Electropositivity
Electrochemical Equivalent
Other Chemical Properties
Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
Chemical Stability, Anti Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f14 6s2
[Kr] 4d10 5s2
Crystal Structure
Face Centered Cubic (FCC)
Hexagonal Close Packed (HCP)
Crystal Lattice
FCC-Crystal-Structure-of-Ytterbium.jpg#100
HCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Cadmium.jpg#100
Valence Electron Potential
Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, π/2
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3
Density At Room Temperature
Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
Other Mechanical Properties
Ductile, Malleable
Ductile, Malleable
Magnetic Ordering
Paramagnetic
Diamagnetic
Electrical Property
Conductor
Semiconductor