The Element Ytterbium


Ytterbium is a rare earth of the lanthanide series and is found in the minerals gadolinite, monazite, and xenotime. It is a soft silvery metallic element which is associated with yttrium or other related elements to be used in steels. Other main characteristics of ytterbium include its nature of being easily attacked and dissolved by mineral acids, its slow reactivity with water and oxidization in air.

Ytterbium’s most common industrial application is its usage in trace amounts in x-rays and in doping of stainless steel. Since ytterbium has the capacity to absorb with an absorption band, it is widely used to convert infrared energy in to electricity in solar cells.

Atomic Number & Chemical Properties


Element Basics:

Chemical Symbol: Yb
Atomic Number: 70
Atomic Weight: 173.04
Element Classification: Rare Earth Element (Lanthanide Series)
Discovered By: Jean de Marignac
Date of Discovery: 1878 (Switzerland)
Origin of Name: Named for the Swedish village of Ytterby.

How to Recognize it at a Party:

Silvery, lustrous, malleable, and ductile metal

Seriously Atomic Information:

Density (g/cc): 6.9654
Melting Point (°K): 1097
Boiling Point (°K): 1466
Atomic Radius (pm): 194
Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 24.8
Covalent Radius (pm): n/a
Ionic Radius: 85.8 (+3e) 93 (+2e)
Pauling Negativity Number: 1.1
First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 603
Oxidation States: 3, 2
Electronic Configuration: [Xe] 4f14 6s2

Getting Intimate with Ytterbium:

Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic (FCC)
Lattice Constant (Å): 5.490
Lattice C/A Ratio: n/a
Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 0.145
Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 3.35
Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 159
Thermal Conductivity (@25°C W/m K):
Debye Temperature (°K): n/a


Society's Questions About Ytterbium:

Have you ever wondered what everyone else in the world thinks about Ytterbium? 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 Ytterbium. Are your questions the same or different from everyone else's?

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