Ytterbium
🔩 In Your World
Ytterbium is a soft, malleable rare earth metal. It is used to improve the strength and other properties of stainless steel. It is also used as a doping agent in fiber optic cables and in certain types of lasers. Some of its isotopes have been used as a radiation source for portable X-ray machines where electricity is not available.
📖 The Discovery Story
Ytterbium is one of four elements named after the village of Ytterby, Sweden. It was discovered in 1878 by Swiss chemist Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac. He found a new component in the earth then known as "erbia" and named it "ytterbia" after the village where the source mineral was found. He later separated ytterbia into two new elements: ytterbium and lutetium.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 824 °C / 1515 °F |
| Boiling Point | 1196 °C / 2185 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f¹⁴6s² |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.00034% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Ytterbium is a reactive metal that should be stored in sealed containers to protect it from air and moisture. Like other lanthanides, it is considered to have a low to moderate toxicity profile. Its dust can be a fire hazard.