CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY
lanthanides → lantanoidi
Lanthanides (lanthanons, lanthanoids or rare-earth elements) are a series of fourteen elements in the periodic table, generally considered to range in proton number from cerium to lutetium inclusive. It was convenient to divide these elements into the cerium group or light earth: cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu); and the yttrium group or heavy earths: gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb) i lutetium (Lu). The position of lanthanum is somewhat equivocal and, although not itself a lanthanide, it is often included with them for comparative purpose. The lanthanides are sometimes simply called the rare earths. Apart from unstable Pm, the lanthanides are actually not rare. Cerium is the 26. most abundant of all elements, 5 times as abundant as Pb. All are silvery very reactive metals.
lanthanides contraction → kontrakcija lantanoida
Lanthanides contraction is a reduction of metal and ion diameters from lanthanum to lutetium and it is caused by a core charge growth inside the same shell. Elements which in the periodic system of elements come after lanthanides have, because of lanthanides contraction, smaller diameter than they should have according to their position in the periodic system of elements.
cerium → cerij
Cerium was discovered by Martin Heinrich Klaproth (Germany) and by Jöns Jacob Berzelius (Sweden) in 1803 and Wilhelm von Hisinger (Germany) in 1814. Named after the asteroid Ceres this discovered two years before the element. It is malleable, ductile, iron-grey metal. Tarnishes in air; reacts easily with water. Dissolves in acids; ignites when heated. Metal ignites and burns readily. Strong reductant. Cerium is most abundant rare earth metal. Found in many minerals like monazite sand [Ce(PO4)]. Its oxides are used in the optics and glass-making industries. Its salts are used in the photography and textile industry. Used in high-intensity carbon lamps and as alloying agents in special metals.
dysprosium → disprozij
Dysprosium was discovered by Paul Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran (France) in 1886. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word dysprositos meaning hard to obtain. It is soft, lustrous, silvery metal. Reacts with oxygen. Reacts rapidly with water; dissolves in acids. Metal ignites and burns readily. Reductant. Dysprosium usually found with erbium, holmium and other rare earths in some minerals such as monazite sand. Dysprosium uses are limited to the experimental and esoteric. Some isotopes of dysprosium are effective absorbers of thermal neutrons and are being considered for use in the control rods in nuclear reactors.
erbium → erbij
Erbium was discovered by Carl Gustaf Mosander (Sweden) in 1843. Named after Ytterby, a village in Sweden. It is soft, malleable, silvery metal. Reacts slowly with water. Dissolves in acids. Metal ignites and burns readily. Erbium is found with other heavier rare earths in xenotime and euxenite. Erbium oxide is used in ceramics to obtain a pink glaze. Also a few uses in the nuclear industry and as an alloying agent for other exotic metals.
europium → europij
Europium was discovered by Eugene Demarcay (France) in 1896. Named for the continent of Europe. It is soft, silvery-white metal. Extremely reactive with oxygen and water. Europium is obtained from monazite sand, which is a mixture of phosphates of calcium, thorium, cerium and most other rare earths. Used with yttrium oxide to make red phosphors for colour televisions.
gadolinium → gadolinij
Gadolinium was discovered by Jean de Marignac (France) in 1880. Named after the mineral gadolinite, named for J. Gadolin, a Finnish chemist and mineralogist. It is soft, ductile, silvery-white metal. Reacts slowly with water and oxygen. Dissolves in acids. Metal ignites and burns readily. Gadolinium is found with other rare earths in gadolinite and monazite sand. Used in steel alloying agents and the manufacture of electronic components.
holmium → holmij
Holmium was discovered by Per Theodore Cleve (Sweden) in 1879. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word Holmia meaning Stockholm. It is fairly soft, malleable, lustrous, silvery metal. Reacts slowly with oxygen and water. Dissolves in acids. Can react violently with air or halogens. Holmium occurs in gadolinite. Most often from monazite sand. It has very few practical applications; however, it has some unusual magnetic properties that offer some hope for future applications.
lutetium → lutecij
Lutetium was discovered by Georges Urbain (France) and independently by Carl Auer von Welsbach (Austria) in 1907. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word Lutetia meaning Paris. It is silvery-white and relatively stable in air, rare earth metal. Lutetium is found with ytterbium in gadolinite and xenotime. Stable lutetium nuclides can be used as catalysts in cracking, alkylation, hydrogenation, and polymerization.
neodymium → neodimij
Neodymium was discovered by Carl F. Auer von Welsbach (Austria) in 1885. The origin of the name comes from the Greek words neos didymos meaning new twin. It is silvery-white, rare-earth metal that oxidizes easily in air. Reacts slowly in cold water, more rapidly as heated. Metal ignites and burns readily. Neodymium is made from electrolysis of its halide salts, which are made from monazite sand. Used in making artificial ruby for lasers. Also in ceramics and for a special lens with praseodymium. Also to produce bright purple glass and special glass that filters infrared radiation. Misch metal, used in the manufacture of pyrophoric alloys for cigarette lighters, contains about 18 % neodymium metal. (Typically composition of misch metal are Ce:Nd:Pr:La:Other rare earth=50:18:6:22:4). Neodymium is used to create some of the most powerful permanent magnets on Earth, known as NIB magnets they consist of neodymium, iron, and boron.
Citing this page:
Generalic, Eni. "Lantanoidi." Croatian-English Chemistry Dictionary & Glossary. 29 June 2022. KTF-Split. {Date of access}. <https://glossary.periodni.com>.
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