Terbium

Terbium
Terbium block | Image: Learnool

Terbium (Tb) is a chemical element of the periodic table, located in the period 6, and has the atomic number 65. It is the ninth element in the lanthanide series. It is a malleable, ductile, silvery-white metal, which is named after Ytterby, a village in Sweden, where it was mined. It is never found freely in nature and is counted as one of the rare earth elements.

On periodic table

group 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
period
1 1
H
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Hydrogen
2
He
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Helium
2 3
Li
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Lithium
4
Be
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Beryllium
5
B
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Boron
6
C
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Carbon
7
N
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Nitrogen
8
O
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Oxygen
9
F
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Fluorine
10
Ne
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Neon
3 11
Na
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Sodium
12
Mg
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Magnesium
13
Al
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Aluminium
14
Si
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Silicon
15
P
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Phosphorus
16
S
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Sulfur
17
Cl
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Chlorine
18
Ar
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Argon
4 19
K
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Potassium
20
Ca
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Calcium
21
Sc
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Scandium
22
Ti
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Titanium
23
V
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Vanadium
24
Cr
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Chromium
25
Mn
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Manganese
26
Fe
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Iron
27
Co
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Cobalt
28
Ni
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Nickel
29
Cu
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Copper
30
Zn
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Zinc
31
Ga
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Gallium
32
Ge
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Germanium
33
As
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Arsenic
34
Se
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Selenium
35
Br
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Bromine
36
Kr
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Krypton
5 37
Rb
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Rubidium
38
Sr
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Strontium
39
Y
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Yttrium
40
Zr
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Zirconium
41
Nb
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Niobium
42
Mo
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Molybdenum
43
Tc
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Technetium
44
Ru
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Ruthenium
45
Rh
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Rhodium
46
Pd
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Palladium
47
Ag
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Silver
48
Cd
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Cadmium
49
In
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Indium
50
Sn
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Tin
51
Sb
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Antimony
52
Te
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Tellurium
53
I
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Iodine
54
Xe
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Xenon
6 55
Cs
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Caesium
56
Ba
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Barium
72
Hf
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Hafnium
73
Ta
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Tantalum
74
W
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Tungsten
75
Re
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Rhenium
76
Os
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Osmium
77
Ir
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Iridium
78
Pt
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Platinum
79
Au
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Gold
80
Hg
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Mercury
81
Tl
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Thallium
82
Pb
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Lead
83
Bi
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Bismuth
84
Po
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Polonium
85
At
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Astatine
86
Rn
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Radon
7 87
Fr
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Francium
88
Ra
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Radium
104
Rf
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Rutherfordium
105
Db
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Dubnium
106
Sg
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Seaborgium
107
Bh
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Bohrium
108
Hs
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Hassium
109
Mt
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Meitnerium
110
Ds
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Darmstadtium
111
Rg
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Roentgenium
112
Cn
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Copernicium
113
Nh
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Nihonium
114
Fl
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Flerovium
115
Mc
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Moscovium
116
Lv
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Livermorium
117
Ts
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Tennessine
118
Og
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Oganesson
57
La
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Lanthanum
58
Ce
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Cerium
59
Pr
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Praseodymium
60
Nd
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Neodymium
61
Pm
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Promethium
62
Sm
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Samarium
63
Eu
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Europium
64
Gd
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Gadolinium
65
Tb
Terbium
66
Dy
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Dysprosium
67
Ho
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Holmium
68
Er
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Erbium
69
Tm
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Thulium
70
Yb
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Ytterbium
71
Lu
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Lutetium
89
Ac
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Actinium
90
Th
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Thorium
91
Pa
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Protactinium
92
U
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Uranium
93
Np
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Neptunium
94
Pu
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Plutonium
95
Am
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Americium
96
Cm
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Curium
97
Bk
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Berkelium
98
Cf
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Californium
99
Es
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Einsteinium
100
Fm
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Fermium
101
Md
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Mendelevium
102
No
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Nobelium
103
Lr
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Lawrencium
– f block

Terbium is found in the lanthanide series, a group of elements located at the bottom of the periodic table. Specifically, in period 6, between gadolinium (Gd) and dysprosium (Dy).

Element information

Terbium Element
Terbium appearance | Image: Wikipedia
Terbium Periodic Table
Terbium location on periodic table | Image: Learnool
Terbium is found in the sixth row of the periodic table, next to the gadolinium element.
Origin of name named after Ytterby, a village in Sweden
Symbol Tb
Atomic number (Z) 65
Atomic mass 158.92535 u
Block f-block
Period 6
Classification Lanthanide
Atomic radius 177 pm
Covalent radius 194±5 pm
Melting point 1356 ℃, 2473 ℉, 1629 K
Boiling point 3123 ℃, 5653 ℉, 3396 K
Electron configuration [Xe] 4f9 6s2
Electrons per shell 2, 8, 18, 27, 8, 2
Crystal structure Hexagonal close-packed (hcp)
Phase at r.t Solid
Density near r.t 8.23 g/cm3
Main isotopes Terbium-159
Natural occurrence Primordial
Oxidation state +3
Electronegativity (Pauling scale) 1.2
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons
65
94
65
CAS number 7440-27-9
Discovered by Carl Gustaf Mosander in 1843

History

Carl Gustaf Mosander | Image: Wikipedia

Terbium was first discovered in 1843 by Swedish chemist Carl Gustaf Mosander. While analyzing the rare earth elements yttria, erbia, and terbia, Mosander detected terbium as an impurity in yttrium oxide.

Originally, terbia was named for the fraction that contained a pink color, which was later found to be due to erbium. Erbia, which is now known as terbium, was the fraction that was essentially colorless in solution. However, due to a mix-up of the names of the fractions, the pink fraction came to refer to the solution containing erbium, which is pink in solution.

Terbium’s isolation in pure form was not achieved until ion exchange techniques were developed. The 19th century investigators did not have access to UV fluorescence technology, which would have made it easier to identify terbium in solid mixtures or solutions based on its brilliant yellow or green fluorescence.

Today, terbium has a variety of uses, including in the production of green phosphors used in color TV tubes, fluorescent lamps, and energy-saving lamps. It is also used in sonar systems and as a dopant in solid-state devices, such as lasers and magneto-optic storage devices. Terbium has no known biological role and is considered to be mildly toxic.

Occurrence and production

Terbium is a relatively rare element, found in the Earth’s crust at an abundance of approximately 1.2 parts per million. It occurs in several minerals, including monazite, xenotime, and euxenite. These minerals contain varying amounts of terbium, depending on their source.

Production of terbium involves extracting it from these minerals, which are typically found in small deposits around the world. The primary method of extracting terbium is through ion exchange or solvent extraction processes. These methods involve dissolving the mineral in acid and then separating the rare earth elements through a series of chemical reactions.

Once separated, terbium is typically purified further using techniques such as precipitation, ion exchange, or electrolysis. The resulting terbium oxide can then be converted into other forms, such as terbium metal or terbium alloys, for use in various applications.

The production of terbium is relatively small compared to other rare earth elements, with only a few hundred metric tons produced each year. Its limited availability and unique properties make it a valuable material in a variety of industries, including electronics, lighting, and green energy technologies.

Properties

Terbium is a soft, malleable, silvery-white metal that belongs to the lanthanide series of elements.

It has a relatively high melting point of 1356 ℃ and a boiling point of 3123 ℃.

Terbium is paramagnetic, meaning that it is weakly attracted to magnetic fields, and is also a ferromagnetic material below 219 K.

It has a hexagonal close-packed crystal structure and is relatively stable in air.

Terbium is also known for its high index of refraction, which makes it useful in the manufacture of special optical glass.

It is also used as a dopant in solid-state devices, such as semiconductors and phosphors, due to its fluorescence and phosphorescence properties.

Terbium is also a good neutron absorber, making it useful in nuclear reactors for controlling the rate of nuclear fission.

Applications

Lighting

Terbium is used in fluorescent lamps and tubes, as well as in some LED lighting products. When terbium is combined with other materials, it can produce a bright green or yellow glow, which is ideal for energy-efficient lighting.

Magnets

Terbium is used in the production of powerful magnets, particularly those used in wind turbines, hybrid cars, and other advanced technologies. Terbium is often combined with other rare earth metals, such as neodymium, to create the strongest possible magnetic field.

Imaging

Terbium is used in medical imaging technologies, such as MRI and CT scans. When terbium is combined with certain dyes or other materials, it can enhance the contrast in medical images, making it easier for doctors to identify and diagnose certain medical conditions.

Nuclear reactors

Terbium can be used as a control rod material in nuclear reactors, helping to regulate the rate of nuclear fission and prevent meltdowns or other accidents.

Other applications

Terbium is also used in other applications, such as in the production of superconducting materials, glass polishing powders, and alloys used in electronic devices.

Interesting facts

Terbium is named after the village of Ytterby in Sweden, where it was discovered.

Terbium is a rare earth element and is one of the least abundant of the lanthanides.

Terbium has the highest magnetic moment of any naturally occurring element, which makes it useful in magnetic alloys.

Terbium is also used in some electronic devices, such as fluorescent lamps and color television tubes.

Terbium can also be used as a dopant in fiber optic amplifiers and as a radiation source in portable X-ray machines.

Terbium is not toxic, but its compounds should be handled with care due to their potential radioactivity.

Terbium has a strong green emission that is used in some applications such as green laser pointers.

Terbium is also used in nuclear medicine, specifically in imaging and therapy for certain cancers.

Related

More elements

s block
p block
d block
f block
Barium Aluminium Bohrium Actinium
Beryllium Antimony Cadmium Americium
Caesium Argon Chromium Berkelium
Calcium Arsenic Cobalt Californium
Francium Astatine Copernicium Cerium
Helium Bismuth Copper Curium
Hydrogen Boron Darmstadtium Dysprosium
Lithium Bromine Dubnium Einsteinium
Magnesium Carbon Gold Erbium
Potassium Chlorine Hafnium Europium
Radium Flerovium Hassium Fermium
Rubidium Fluorine Iridium Gadolinium
Sodium Gallium Iron Holmium
Strontium Germanium Lawrencium Lanthanum
Indium Lutetium Mendelevium
Iodine Manganese Neodymium
Krypton Meitnerium Neptunium
Lead Mercury Nobelium
Livermorium Molybdenum Plutonium
Moscovium Nickel Praseodymium
Neon Niobium Promethium
Nihonium Osmium Protactinium
Nitrogen Palladium Samarium
Oganesson Platinum Terbium
Oxygen Rhenium Thorium
Phosphorus Rhodium Thulium
Polonium Roentgenium Uranium
Radon Ruthenium Ytterbium
Selenium Rutherfordium
Silicon Scandium
Sulfur Seaborgium
Tellurium Silver
Tennessine Tantalum
Thallium Technetium
Tin Titanium
Xenon Tungsten
Vanadium
Yttrium
Zinc
Zirconium

External links

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Learnool.com was founded by Deep Rana, who is a mechanical engineer by profession and a blogger by passion. He has a good conceptual knowledge on different educational topics and he provides the same on this website. He loves to learn something new everyday and believes that the best utilization of free time is developing a new skill.

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