Yttrium
Definition and meaning of Yttrium in chemistry.
Yttrium is a transition metal chemical element with the symbol Y and atomic number 39. It is a soft, silvery-metallic element that is almost always classified alongside the rare-earth elements due to its nearly identical chemical behavior.
In more detail
Positioned at the very top of group 3 in the periodic table, yttrium is historically the first d-block element in the fifth period. It is universally categorized as a rare-earth element due to its constant and inseparable geological association with the heavier lanthanides in complex rare-earth minerals like monazite and xenotime. It remains relatively stable in ambient air in bulk form due to the rapid formation of a tightly adhering and protective oxide layer, but finely divided yttrium shavings or powder are highly flammable. The most common and stable oxidation state of yttrium in all its diverse chemical compounds is exactly +3. Compared to many other transition metals in its vicinity, it has a noticeably high melting point and a lower physical density.
Key facts
| Field | General Chemistry |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Y |
| Atomic number | 39 |
| Atomic mass | 88.906 u |
| Category | Transition Metal |
| State at room temperature | Solid |
| Melting point | 1522 degrees Celsius |
| Boiling point | 3336 degrees Celsius |
| Discoverer | Johan Gadolin (1794) |
Yttrium is critically important in the modern production of various synthetic garnets and bright phosphors, which are used extensively in white LEDs and were historically responsible for the red color in older cathode ray tube television displays.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the unusual name yttrium originate from?
The element is named directly after Ytterby, a small, historically significant quarry village in Sweden near where the first yttrium-containing mineral samples were originally discovered in the late eighteenth century.
What is the material known as YAG used for?
YAG stands for yttrium aluminum garnet, a durable synthetic crystalline material that is very frequently used as a solid host medium in powerful industrial and medical solid-state lasers.