Ytterbium Element in Periodic Table | Atomic Number Atomic Mass

Ytterbium Element:

Ytterbium is a penultimate chemical element in the lanthanide series of periodic table. It is represented by the symbol Yb and it has atomic number 70. Like most of all the lanthanide elements, it exhibits +3 oxidation state. However, it also displays +2 oxidation state, capable of forming divalent compounds, due to its valence electron configuration of 4f¹⁴ with the stability attributed to the completely filled f-shell. This property is a departure from the usual characteristics of most of lanthanide elements.

Ytterbium is a soft, ductile, malleable, silvery-white element. Ytterbium reacts passively with cold water to form ytterbium hydroxide, with release of hydrogen. On exposure to air, it slowly gets oxidized to ytterbium oxide. It melts at 824 °C and boils at 1196 °C. The reason for its relatively low melting point and boiling point is its closed-shell electron configuration, unlike its congeners in the lanthanide series. Ytterbium reacts with all halogens to form respective ytterbium trihalides.

Ytterbium exists three allotropic forms, denoted by Greek letters as α, β and γ. The interchange of allotropic phase transformation depends on the temperature range from -13°C and 795°C, although the specific factors of pressure and stress determine the precise metamorphosis.

The naturally occurring ytterbium is a mixture of seven stable isotopes with mass numbers 168, 170 to 174 and 176. In addition to the natural isotopes, 27 radioactive isotopes have been found out of which Yb-169 is known to be most stable with a half-life period of 32 days.

Uses Of Ytterbium Element:

Ytterbium has limited commercial uses. It is added as an alloy to increase the toughness of certain types of steel. Its radioactive isotope Yb-169 emits gamma rays which are nearly equal to x-rays. Ytterbium is also used in lasers to amplify luminescence.

Ytterbium Element Information:

Discovery year:1878

Discovered by: Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac

Atomic number: 70

Relative atomic mass: 173.045 

Electron configuration: [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 6s²

Block: f-block

Other elements in the same block:

Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Lutetium, Thorium, Protactinium, Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium, Americium, Curium, Berkelium, Californium, Einsteinium, Fermium, Mendelevium, Nobelium and  Lawrencium are the elements in the same block.

Period: period 6

Other elements in the same period:

Caesium, Barium, Lanthanum,  Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Lutetium, Hafnium, Tantalum, Tungsten, Rhenium, Osmium, Iridium, Platinum, Gold, Mercury, Thallium, Lead, Bismuth, Polonium, Astatine and Radon

Group: Lanthanides

Other elements in the same group:

Cerium, praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium and Lutetium.

Other elements in the same orbital:

Lanthanum,  Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium and Lutetium are the elements in the same orbital.

Allotropes: none

Key isotopes: ¹⁷²Yb, ¹⁷³Yb, ¹⁷⁴Yb 

Melting point: 824°C, 1515°F, 1097 K 

Boiling point: 1196°C, 2185°F, 1469 K 

Element category: lanthanide 

Density (g cm⁻³): 6.90 

CAS number: 7440-64-4

Color: silvery white       

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