Quick Facts
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Eu |
| Atomic Number | 63 |
| Atomic Mass | 151.96 u |
| Category | Lanthanide |
| Period | 6 |
| Group | 3 |
| Block | f |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f⁷ 6s² |
Physical Properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| State at 20°C | Solid |
| Density | 5.24 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 822°C (1095 K) |
| Boiling Point | 1529°C (1802 K) |
| Appearance | Silvery-white metal |
History and Discovery
Discovered by: Eugène-Anatole Demarçay Year of Discovery: 1901 Location: Paris, France
Etymology
Named after Europe.
Applications and Uses
- Red phosphor in TVs and screens (europium oxide)
- Fluorescent lamps
- Euro banknote anti-forgery feature
- LED phosphors
- Nuclear reactor control rods
- Quantum memory research
Interesting Facts
- Europium is the most reactive of the rare earth elements
- Used as an anti-counterfeiting measure in Euro banknotes
- The red color in old CRT televisions came from europium
- Most expensive of the common rare earths
- Has the lowest density of all lanthanides