Samarium

Bianca V. Crockett


 * Samarium**


 * Element symbol: Sm

Atomic number- 62 Atomic Mass- 150.4 Protons- 62 Electrons-62 Neutrons- 88 Most common Isotope-** **152 Sm** Period- 6**
 * Electron configuration-** [Xe] 6s2 4f6
 * Group- 3

__**Chemical properties**__ Samarium reacts with water in the process of releasing hydrogen gas. The reaction it has with oxygen is that it catches fire at the temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit(150 degrees Celsius). Under mild circumstances, this element combines with many other substances, and is also known as a moderately reactive metal.

Samarium is a rare earth metal with a silver coating and has a melting point of 1,962 degrees Fahrenheit (1072 degrees Celsius). The boiling point is 3,450 degrees Fahrenheit (1,900 degrees Celsius). It is stable in dry air and produces an oxide coating in moist air. Of all the rare earth elements that are known, Samarium is the most brittle and also the hardest over others.
 * __Physical properties__**

__**History**__ Samarium was discovered in 1879 by Lecoq de Boisbaudran based off its absorption lines. It was found in the mineral Samarskite and was named after this mineral which was given its name in honor of the Russian mine official colonel Samarski.

__**Common form**__ Samarium's most common form is in compound form. The form that this element is found on earth is in mixture form and being contained in minerals such as bastnasite and samarskite.

__**Uses**__ Samarium can be used for things such as the motion pictures industry's lighting, permanent magnetic material, neutron absorber in nuclear reactors and is also used in optical lasers.

__**Isotopes**__ Samarium is made up of 4 stable isotopes. each have a different number of neutrons and a different atomic mass. They are listed as 144 Sm, 150 Sm, 152 Sm and 154 Sm. The most common radio active isotope is 152 Sm. It primarily decays by alpha decay into isotopes of neodymium ( a chemical element that tarnishes in the air). The more heavier isotopes decay by beta decay and it eventually decays into europium ( a chemical element and metal that is as hard as lead).

144 Sm- atomic mass =143.91 150 Sm- atomic mass =149.91 152 Sm- atomic mass =151.91 154 Sm- atomic mass =153.92


 * ** Isotope ** || ** Half Life ** ||
 * Sm-144 || Stable ||
 * Sm-145 || 340.0 days ||
 * Sm-146 || 1.03E8 years ||
 * Sm-147 || 1.06E11 years ||
 * Sm-148 || 7.0E15 years ||
 * Sm-149 || Stable ||
 * Sm-150 || Stable ||
 * Sm-151 || 90.0 years ||
 * Sm-152 || Stable ||
 * Sm-153 || 1.92 days ||
 * Sm-154 || Stable ||

Sources: http://www.chemistryexplained.com/elements/P-T/Samarium.html http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/sm.htm http://www.webelements.com/samarium/history.html

image sources: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electron_shell_062_samarium.png http://www.periodictable.com/Elements/062/index.html