Quick Facts
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Ho |
| Atomic Number | 67 |
| Atomic Mass | 164.93 u |
| Category | Lanthanide |
| Period | 6 |
| Group | 3 |
| Block | f |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f¹¹ 6s² |
History and Discovery
Discovered by: Marc Delafontaine and Jacques-Louis Soret; Per Teodor Cleve Year of Discovery: 1878-1879 Location: Switzerland and Sweden
Etymology
Named after Stockholm ("Holmia" in Latin).
Applications and Uses
- Highest magnetic moment of any element
- Ho:YAG lasers for medical procedures
- Nuclear reactor control rods
- Magnetic flux concentrators
- Spectrophotometer calibration
Interesting Facts
- Has the strongest magnetic moment of any element
- Holmium lasers are used in surgery and dentistry
- Used to create strong magnetic fields
- One of the rarer lanthanides
- Yellow-tinted compounds