Ytterbium (Yb)
Ytterbium's electrical resistance changes under high pressure, so it is used in gauges that measure ground stress from earthquakes and explosions.
Ytterbium properties
- Atomic mass
- 173.05 u
- Category
- Lanthanide
- Group
- —
- Period
- 6
- Block
- f-block
- State at room temp.
- Solid
- Melting point
- 1,097 K (823.8 °C)
- Boiling point
- 1,469 K (1,195.8 °C)
- Density
- 6.9 g/cm³
- Common charges
- +2, +3
- Oxidation states
- +3, +2
- Atomic radius
- 242 pm
- Ionization energy
- 6.254 eV
- Electron affinity
- —
- Radioactive
- No, has stable isotopes
- Discovered
- 1878
Ytterbium electron configuration
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f14 6s2
- Full electron configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 6s2
- Electron shells
- 2 · 8 · 18 · 32 · 8 · 2
The electron configuration of Ytterbium (Yb) is [Xe] 4f14 6s2. Its 70 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 8, 2.
Protons, neutrons and electrons in Ytterbium
A neutral Ytterbium atom has 70 protons and 70 electrons. Most Ytterbium atoms have about 103 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 173, minus the atomic number 70.
Neutrons are approximate: atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). Atomic number and mass
How many valence electrons does Ytterbium have?
2
Ytterbium has 2 valence electrons in its outermost shell. As an f-block element, its 4f or 5f electrons can also take part in bonding.
Ytterbium orbital diagram
Each box is an orbital that holds up to two electrons with opposite spins (↑↓). The inner shells are the same as the noble gas in brackets. How to write electron configurations
Molar mass of Ytterbium
173.05 g/mol
One mole of Ytterbium atoms (6.022 × 10²³ atoms) has a mass of 173.05 grams. Use this value to convert between grams and moles.
Ytterbium facts
- Ytterbium's electrical resistance changes under high pressure, so it is used in gauges that measure ground stress from earthquakes and explosions.
- Ytterbium is much less dense than its neighbors thulium and lutetium, because its atoms contribute only two electrons to metallic bonding instead of three.
- Ytterbium (Yb) has atomic number 70 and is a solid at room temperature. It was discovered in 1878.
Position in the periodic table
Ytterbium is element 70, in period 6 of the periodic table. It is one of the Lanthanides in the f-block, shown in the rows below the main table.
Uses of Ytterbium
Ytterbium is used in some of the world's most precise atomic clocks, which measure time using ytterbium atoms held in place by lasers. Ytterbium-doped fiber lasers are powerful, efficient tools for cutting, welding, and marking metal in factories. Ytterbium is also used to improve the strength of some stainless steels, and ytterbium-169 serves as a portable radiation source for X-ray imaging.
Who discovered Ytterbium?
Swiss chemist Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac discovered ytterbium in 1878 in Geneva, after separating it from erbium oxide, and named it after the Swedish village of Ytterby. In 1907 his ytterbium was shown to contain another element, lutetium.
Where does the name come from?
Ytterbium is named after Ytterby, a Swedish village near Stockholm with a famous quarry. Four elements are named after this one village: yttrium, terbium, erbium and ytterbium, the last identified by Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac in 1878.
Lanthanide
Compare Ytterbium
FAQ
What is the electron configuration of Ytterbium?
The electron configuration of Ytterbium (Yb) is [Xe] 4f14 6s2. Its 70 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 8, 2.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Ytterbium have?
A neutral Ytterbium atom has 70 protons and 70 electrons. Most Ytterbium atoms have about 103 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 173, minus the atomic number 70.
How many valence electrons does Ytterbium have?
Ytterbium has 2 valence electrons in its outermost shell. As an f-block element, its 4f or 5f electrons can also take part in bonding.
What is the molar mass of Ytterbium?
The molar mass of Ytterbium is 173.05 g/mol. This is the same number as its atomic mass, 173.05 u.
Is Ytterbium a metal?
Yes. Ytterbium is a lanthanide, so it is a metal.
Is Ytterbium radioactive?
Ordinary Ytterbium is not radioactive: it has at least one stable isotope. Like every element, it also has radioactive isotopes, most of them made in laboratories.
Where is Ytterbium on the periodic table?
Ytterbium is element 70, in period 6 of the periodic table. It is one of the Lanthanides in the f-block, shown in the rows below the main table.