Terbium
💡 In Your World
Terbium is a silvery-rare earth metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife. Its most notable use is as a green phosphor in fluorescent lamps, TV screens, and computer monitors. When combined with europium's red and blue phosphors, it helps create the full spectrum of colors. It is also used in specialized magnets and in solid-state devices.
📖 The Discovery Story
Terbium was discovered in 1843 by Swedish chemist Carl Gustaf Mosander. He detected it as an impurity in yttrium oxide. Like its neighbors erbium, ytterbium, and yttrium, terbium is named after the village of Ytterby in Sweden, where the mineral gadolinite, a rich source of rare earth elements, was first found.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 1356 °C / 2473 °F |
| Boiling Point | 3230 °C / 5846 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f⁹6s² |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.00012% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Terbium metal is relatively stable in air. Like other lanthanides, it is considered to have low to moderate toxicity. Its compounds should be handled with standard laboratory safety precautions, as their long-term effects are not fully understood.