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Yttrium, with the symbol Y and the atomic number 39, is a greyish-white metal generally included among the rare earth elements. It is a silvery-metallic transition metal that is chemically related to the lanthanides and is frequently referred to as a "rare-earth element." Yttrium is nearly usually found in rare-earth minerals in conjunction with lanthanide elements, and it is never found in nature as a free element. The sole isotope discovered in the Earth's crust is the only stable isotope. Let’s understand Yttrium in detail and discuss some important questions.
Also check: Group 15 Elements
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Keywords: Yttrium, rare earth metal, Isotope of Yttrium, Metal Oxides, Superconductors, Rare earth metal
What is Yttrium?
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Johan Gadolin discovered yttrium in 1794, and it is a relatively uncommon chemical compound. It's a d-block element with the atomic number 39, and it's found in the periodic table's 3rd group and 5th period. The element is named after the mineral ytterbite, which was identified by chemist Carl Axel Arrhenius in 1787. The mineral was named after the Swedish hamlet of Ytterby, where it was found.He subsequently brought the sample to Johan Gadolin, a chemist who was looking for a new mineral. Gadolin was the one who extracted the yttrium from the sample, therefore the scientists named the mineral yttrium after the town.
Yttrium
Carl Gustaf, a scientist in the 18th century, investigated the material further and discovered three oxides. Erbia, terbia, and yttria are the oxides that are now known as yttrium oxide, terbium oxide, and erbium oxide, respectively. When it was discovered that one of the compounds in ytterbite contained the hitherto unnamed element yttrium, the element was named after the mineral.It is highly used in LED's and manufacturing of electrodes,lasers and superconductors.Yttrium was used in cathode ray tubes until recently, when it was the primary component of television sets. The majority of the yttrium in the solar system is concentrated in Mira, a massive red star.
Also check: The f-block Elements
Chemical Properties of Yttrium
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| Type | Classification | Type | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group | 3 | Melting point | 1522°C, 2772°F, 1795 K |
| Period | 5 | Boiling point | 3345°C, 6053°F, 3618 K |
| Block | d | Density (g cm−3) | 4.47 |
| Atomic number | 39 | Relative atomic mass | 88.906 |
| State at 20°C | Solid | Key isotopes | 89Y |
| Electron configuration | [Kr] 4d15s2 | CAS number | 7440-65-5 |
Yttrium Electron Configuration
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The atomic number of yttrium is 39, as we all know. It possesses trivalency, which means it has three valencies. Let's write down the yttrium electron configuration now.
1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p44d1
Generally Electronic configuration of yttrium is written as: [Kr]4d¹5s².
As it possesses three valence electrons, yttrium has an oxidation state of +3. Furthermore, it produces insoluble water chemicals such as oxalate, hydroxide, and fluoride. Chloride, sulphate, bromide, and other chemicals have a high solubility in water. The yttrium ion is colourless due to a lack of electrons in its d and f shells.
Also check: Electronegativity Chart
Sources of Yttrium
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Yttrium is a chemical element that may be found in nearly every rare-earth mineral. The lunar rock samples collected during the Apollo missions had a comparatively high yttrium concentration, according to analysis.It was collected for commercial purposes from monazite sand, which contains roughly 3% Yttrium, and bastnasite, which has around 0.2 percent Yttrium. Wohler produced the impure element by reducing anhydrous chloride with potassium in 1828. Currently, the metal is made commercially by reducing fluoride with calcium metal. Other methods can also be used to prepare it.
Yttrium, a rare-earth metal with a highly crystalline iron-gray appearance. Because it is protected by the creation of a stable oxide coating on its surface, yttrium is rather stable in air, but it oxidises easily when heated. It interacts with mineral acids as well as water, disintegrating it to create hydrogen gas. When metal shavings or turnings reach 400 degrees Celsius, they can ignite in the air. In air, finely separated yttrium is extremely unstable.
Read more: What are Noble Gases?
Uses of Yttrium
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The element's oxide, yttria (Y2O3), is most commonly employed in the production of red phosphors for colour television image tubes. Yttrium metal is used to strengthen the strength of aluminium and magnesium alloys when alloyed in tiny amounts with other metals. It improves the workability of cast iron when added to it. Although metals are normally good at transmitting heat, there is a heat-resistant alloy of yttrium, chromium, and aluminium. Glass with yttrium oxide in it is heat and stress resistant, and is used in camera lenses. Superconductors, which are metal oxides that conduct electricity without losing energy, may be made from yttrium oxide. It is also used in:
- Synthetic clothes and yttrium iron clothing can both be made with yttrium.
- It's employed in the production of infrared lasers.
- Yttrium can be utilised as both a solid electrolyte and an oxygen sensor in car exhaust systems.
- It is employed in the production of superconductors.
- Many malignancies, including lymphoma, leukaemia, and bone tumours, can be cured with it.
Properties of Yttrium
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Because yttrium is a rare earth element, it's also a valuable metal with a shiny silver look. The element is soft and belongs to the high crystalline metals category. It has a lower electronegativity than the elements above it in the group. Additionally, the atoms below the yttrium have a higher electronegativity. It is found in the periodic table's d-block and 5th group. It is a one-of-a-kind element that may produce both soluble and insoluble compounds.
- Yttrium is a silvery, soft metal with a low electronegativity.
- Yttrium is a highly rare metal that is difficult to come by.
- It is not found in the Earth's crust as a free element, however it is frequently found in conjunction with lanthanide and in uranium ores.
Properties of Yttrium
Also check: Atomic Radii
Yttrium's Health Effects
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Yittrium has no biological function, and its soluble salts are only mildly poisonous to living organisms. But yttrium is a rare chemical that may be found in a variety of household items such as colour televisions, fluorescent bulbs, energy-saving lighting, and glasses. The characteristics of all uncommon compounds are similar.Yttrium is scarce in nature because it exists in such tiny amounts. Yttrium is typically found in just two types of ores. Because of its suitability for producing catalysers and polishing glass, yttrium is still in use.Because damps and vapours may be swallowed through the air, yttrium is generally harmful in the workplace. This can result in pulmonary embolisms, especially if you're exposed for a long time. When it comes to people, yttrium can cause cancer since it increases the risk of lung cancer.
Presence of Yttrium in the Environment
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Yttrium is never found as a free element in nature. It may be found in uranium ores and practically all rare earth minerals. The yellow-brown mineral xenotime is mined in Malaysia and can contain up to 50% yttrium phophate (YPO4). Yttrium is found in modest amounts in other minerals such as barnasite, fergusonite, and smarskite, and it makes up 2.5 percent of the rare-earth mineral monazite. The output of yttrium, measured as yttrium oxide, is roughly 600 tonnes per year, with global reserves estimated to be over 9 million tonnes.
Things to Remember
- Yttrium has the symbol Y and has the atomic number 39. It is a silvery-metallic transition metal that is chemically related to the lanthanides and is referred as a "rare-earth element"
- Johan Gadolin discovered yttrium in 1794. Erbia, terbia, and yttria are the oxides that are now known as yttrium oxide, terbium oxide, and erbium oxide, respectively
- Genereally Electronic configuration of yttrium is written as: [Kr]4d¹5s².
- Currently, the metal is made commercially by reducing fluoride with calcium metal.
- The element's oxide, yttria (Y2O3), is most commonly employed in the production of red phosphors for colour television image tubes. Yttrium metal is used to strengthen the strength of aluminium and magnesium alloys when alloyed in tiny amounts with other metals.
- Yttrium is found in certain amounts in minerals like barnasite, fergusonite, and smarskite, and it makes up 2.5 percent of the rare-earth mineral monazite.
Sample Questions
Ques. Write down the Similarities Between Lanthanides and Yttrium? (3 marks)
Ans. Lanthanides and yttrium are chemically quite close. It is so similar that it was originally classified as a lanthanide (rare earth element). Its similarity is greater to the elements in the lanthanides group than to the elements in its own group. When it comes to chemical qualities or reactivity, it has the same reaction sequence as lanthanides, as well as a number of other similarities such as almost the same size, comparable behaviour, similar atomic radius, close atomic number, and so on. The trivale of yttrium is the sole notable variation between them.
Ques. What is the Yttrium Density and Where Does It Come From? (2 marks)
Ans. Yttrium has a standard density of 4.47 gramme per cubic centimetre. This element is available in a number of nations in addition to the one where it was discovered. India, Australia, China, Malaysia, and Russia are also big producers. The most recent finding of this element was on the Japanese island of Minamitori. On this island, there are large amounts of rare earth metals. Only in the form of alloys or compounds is it available.
Ques. What are Yttrium's health effects? (2 marks)
Ans. Since it exists in such minute levels, yttrium is one of the rarest substances on the planet. Color televisions, fluorescent bulbs, energy-saving lamps, and glasses all contain this. Yttrium is found in a similar proportion in all uncommon compounds.Because the damps and gases may be breathed with air, yttrium is the most harmful. This might result in lung difficulties, especially if you are exposed for an extended period of time. When breathed, yttrium can cause cancer in humans because it generates space for lung cancer.
Ques. What are the environmental impacts of Yttrium? (2 marks)
Ans. Yttrium is a very hazardous chemical that poses a threat to the environment. Yttrium is released into the environment in a variety of ways, mostly by the petroleum industry. When household utensils are thrown away, it also enters the environment. Yttrium progressively accumulates in soils and water soils, leading to higher quantities in humans, animals, and soil particles over time.For aquatic creatures, yttrium damages cell membranes and has various deleterious effects on reproduction and the neurological system.
Ques. Why are transition elements called d-block elements? Is yttrium considered a transition metal? (2 marks)
Ans. The position and transition of attributes of s and p-block elements are indicated by Transition Elements. All transition metals are d-block elements, however not all d-block elements must be transition elements. Groups 4–11 are occupied by these elements. Scandium and yttrium from Group 3 have a partly full d subshell in the metallic state and are thus termed transition elements. Elements in the 12 columns of the d-block, such as Zn, Cd, and Hg, have entirely filled d-orbitals and are hence not considered transition elements.
Ques. What are d-block element interstitial compounds? (4 marks)
Ans. In the transition metal's crystal lattice structure, there is a vacancy. Small non-metallic atoms and molecules such as hydrogen, boron, carbon, and others can become trapped in the void during crystal structure development. Interstitial substances are what they're termed.
Interstitial substances share a number of characteristics, which are given below:
- Transition metals have extremely high melting points.
- They're incredibly difficult.
- They have conductivity qualities that are similar to those of other metals.
- They have a chemically inert propensity and are unreactive.
Ques. What is the list of d-block elements? (4 marks)
Ans.
- Period 4- Scandium (Sc), Titanium (Ti), Vanadium (V), Chromium (Cr), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Cobalt (Co), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), and Zinc (Zn).
- Period 5- Yttrium (Y), Zirconium (Zr), Niobium (Nb), Molybdenum (Mo), Technetium (Tc), Ruthenium (Ru), Rhodium (Rh), Pd (Palladium), Silver (Ag), and Cadmium (Cd).
- Period 6- Lutetium (Lu), Hafnium (Hf), Tantalum (Ta), Tungsten (W), Rhenium (Re), Osmium (Os), Iridium (Ir), Platinum (Pt), Gold (Au) and Mercury (Hg).
- Period 7- Actinium (Ac), Rutherfordium (Rf), Dubnium (Db), Seaborgium (Sg), Bohrium (Bh), Hassium (Hs), Meitnerium (Mt), and Darmstadtium (Ds)
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