erbium

Name:Phat Luu Date:11/15/09 Period:4 Chemistry Ms. Marx

ERBIUM ** //__What is Erbium ?__// //__Physical Properties:__// solid, bright, shiny surface //__Chemical Properties:__// stable in air and does not react quickly with oxygen. //__History:__// Erbium was discovered by Carl Custaf Mosander in 1843. He found that erbia was an entirely new substance. It consisted of a new element combined with oxygen. Mosander named this new element was erbium because it had been found near the town named Erbium. //__Uses of Erbium:__// //__Common forms:__// Erbium is not found as an free element. It is a compound element. We found it in monazite sand ores. //__Stable isotopes:__// There are 6 stable isotopes for Erbium: Er-162, Er-164, Er-166, Er-167, Er-168, and Er-170. //__Most common isotopes:__// There are 29 radioisotopes have been characterized, with the most stable being Er-169 with a half-life of 9.4 days, Er-172 with a half-life of 49.3 hours, Er-160 with a half-life of 28.58 hours, Er-165 with a half-life of 10.36 hours, and Er-171 with a half-life of 7.516 hours. [] []
 * Chemistry Project: All About the Elements
 * Erbium is a metallic chemical element grouped among the rare earth metals on the periodic table of elements. We can find it in period 6 on the periodic table.
 * Symbol of Erbium: Er
 * Atomic number: 68
 * Atomic mass: 167.26
 * Number of protons: 68
 * Number of electrons: 68
 * Number of neutrons: 99
 * Most common isotope: Er-167
 * Electron configuration: [Xe]6s24f12
 * Density 9.066g/cm3
 * Melting point: 1529°C or 2784°F
 * Boiling point: 2868°C or 5194°F
 * Erbium is used in nuclear technology as a nuclear poison.
 * It added to vanadium as an alloy, erbium lowers hardness and improves workability.
 * __Sources:__** []