Tb
Terbium is used in green phosphors and magnetostrictive alloys.
Physical Properties
| Atomic Mass | 158.93 u |
| Density | 8.229 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 1629.0 K |
| Boiling Point | 3503.0 K |
| Appearance | Silvery-white metallic |
| State at Room Temp | Solid |
Chemical Properties
| Electronegativity | 1.2 (Pauling) |
| 1st Ionization Energy | 565.8 kJ/mol |
| Electron Affinity | 112.4 kJ/mol |
| Oxidation States | +1, +2, +3, +4 |
Atomic Properties
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f9 6s2 |
| Atomic Radius | 177.0 pm |
| Covalent Radius | 194.0 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 221.0 pm |
Discovery
| Discovered By | Carl Gustaf Mosander |
| Discovery Year | 1843 |
| Location | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Named After | Ytterby, a village in Sweden |
About Terbium
Terbium is a silvery-white, soft, malleable rare earth metal. It is used in green phosphors and has remarkable magnetostrictive properties, changing shape in response to magnetic fields.
Uses & Applications
Green phosphors in displays, magnetostrictive alloys (Terfenol-D for sonar), and fuel cells.
Fun Fact
Terbium-based Terfenol-D changes shape in magnetic fields, making it useful in precision actuators and sonar.
Isotopes
| Mass Number | Abundance | Half-Life | Stable |
| 159 | 1.0% | - | Yes |
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f9 6s2