Quick Facts
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Yb |
| Atomic Number | 70 |
| Atomic Mass | 173.05 u |
| Category | Lanthanide |
| Period | 6 |
| Group | 3 |
| Block | f |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 6s² |
History and Discovery
Discovered by: Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac Year of Discovery: 1878 Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Etymology
Named after Ytterby, Sweden—the fourth element from this village.
Applications and Uses
- Yb-doped fiber lasers
- Stainless steel improvement
- Portable X-ray devices
- Atomic clocks (next-generation)
- Memory devices
Interesting Facts
- Fourth element named after Ytterby (Y, Tb, Er, Yb)
- Ytterbium atomic clocks may replace cesium clocks
- Most compressible of the lanthanides
- Used in world's most accurate atomic clocks
- Relatively abundant for a heavy lanthanide