The Element Erbium


Erbium is a solid rare earth element which cannot be found as a free element under natural conditions. Erbium is included in minerals such as gadolinite from Ytterby in Sweden. Ion exchange technique is widely used for extracting Erbium from other rare earth elements. Southern Chinese minerals are the principle sources for this element for the recent years.

The most famous use of Erbium is for photographic filters. Erbium is also used as a nuclear poison as in neutron absorbing control rods. Erbium oxide has pink color and used for coloring sunglasses and jewelry.

Atomic Number & Chemical Properties


Element Basics:

Chemical Symbol: Er
Atomic Number: 68
Atomic Weight: 167.26
Element Classification: Rare Earth Element (Lanthanide Series)
Discovered By: Carl Mosander
Date of Discovery: 1843 (Sweden)
Origin of Name: Named after the Swedish town, Ytterby.

How to Recognize it at a Party:

Soft, malleable, silvery metal

Seriously Atomic Information:

Density (g/cc): 9.06
Melting Point (°K): 1802
Boiling Point (°K): 3136
Atomic Radius (pm): 178
Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 18.4
Covalent Radius (pm): 157
Ionic Radius: 88.1 (+3e)
Pauling Negativity Number: 1.24
First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 581
Oxidation States: 3
Electronic Configuration: [Xe] 4f12 6s2

Getting Intimate with Erbium:

Lattice Structure: Hexagonal (HEX)
Lattice Constant (Å): 3.560
Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.570
Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 0.168
Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): n/a
Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 317
Thermal Conductivity (@25°C W/m K):
Debye Temperature (°K): n/a


Society's Questions About Erbium:

Have you ever wondered what everyone else in the world thinks about Erbium? Is anyone else looking for it too? If so, why? What do they want?

The following list shows the most common online questions about the element Erbium. Are your questions the same or different from everyone else's?

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