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Erbium (Er) is a chemical element that belongs to the lanthanide series of the periodic table of rare earth metals.
- The atomic number of Erbium is 68 and is denoted by the symbol Er.
- It is a radioactive element in nature.
- Erbium was discovered by Carl Gustav Mosander in 1843 as an oxide, he was a Swedish Chemist and originally, he named it terbia.
- Erbium is ranked 45th amongst the most abundant elements on the earth and it is highly electropositive in nature.
- Pure erbium is a silvery white metal that is relatively stable in air.
- It reacts slowly with water but dissolves fast in diluted acids.
- Erbium is a powerful paramagnet above 85 K (−188 °C or −307 °F).
- Between 85 K and 20 K (−253 °C, or −424 °F), the metal is antiferromagnetic, but below 20 K, it forms a conical ferromagnetic structure.
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Key Terms: Erbium, Electronic configuration, Chemical elements, Lanthanide series, Atomic number, Ferromagnetic, Antiferromagnetic, Radioactive element
What is Erbium?
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Erbium is a rare earth metal that is classified as the eleventh element of the lanthanide series.
- Erbium is radioactive in nature and the pure form of this element is metal.
- Naturally, it is mostly found in combination with other elements.
- The Pure form of this element is relatively stable in air but in the earth’s crust, it is abundant as tantalum and tungsten.
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| Chapter Related Concepts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lawrencium | Group 18 Elements | Lanthanoids Contraction |
| Actinoids | Colour transition elements | Magnetic properties transition elements |
Physical Properties of Erbium
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The following are the physical properties of Erbium:
| Physical Properties of Erbium | |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Er |
| Electronic configuration | [Xe] 4f126s2 |
| Atomic number | 68 |
| Relative Atomic mass | 167.259 u |
| Boiling point | 2867o C |
| Melting point | 1522o C |
| Density | 9.07 g/cm3 |
| Specific heat | 168 J kg-1 K-1 |
| Isotopes | 166Er, 168Er, 167Er, 162Er,169Er, 170Er |
| CAS number | 7440-52-0 |
| Block | f - Block |
| Period | 6 |
| Group | Lanthanides |
Chemical Properties of Erbium
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The following are the chemical properties of Erbium:
- Erbium does react with water, but the nature of the reaction depends on various factors, like the temperature and form of the erbium.
- Erbium has an oxidation state of +3 and appears pink in this oxidation state.
- The element is soluble in acids.
- Erbium reacts with all acids except hydrogen fluoride, forming ErF3, which functions as a protective layer, preventing further dissolution.
- Erbium has highly powerful magnetic characteristics and is antiferromagnetic.
- Erbium can be found in minerals with other rare-earth elements.
- Erbium is purified from its mineral form by using the liquid-liquid solvent extraction process.
- The chemical structure of Erbium is hexagonal, with a single allotrope.
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Erbium shows a metallothermic reaction with calcium fluoride.
Occurrence of Erbium
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In Earth’s crust, it is found at about 2.8 mg/kg, and in seawater 0.9 ng/L, which is enough to make it the 45th element abundance in the Earth’s crust. This element, like other rare earths, is never found free in nature and is instead bonded in monazite sand ores.
- Separating rare earths from one another in their ores has traditionally been difficult and expensive.
- However, ion-exchange chromatography procedures discovered in the late 20th century have significantly decreased the cost of producing all rare-earth metals and their chemical compounds.
- Commercial sources of this element are minerals of Xenotime and Euxenite.
Uses of Erbium
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The following are the uses of Erbium
- It is used in optical fiber transmission and telecommunications amplifiers.
- Erbium is used in the construction of lasers and gives the laser beams a pink color.
- It is also used to give lenses a color during their formation process.
- Zirconia is a synthetic gem that uses erbium for stability.
- Erbium, in its ionic form, is used in laser surgery.
- Erbium acts as a control rod in a nuclear reactor.
- Erbium is used in the production of metal alloys.
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It is also used to make colored spectacles.
Things to Remember
- Erbium is a rare earth metal that is classified as the eleventh element of the lanthanide series.
- The atomic number of Erbium is 68.
- It is a radioactive element in nature.
- It reacts slowly with water but dissolves fast in diluted acids.
- Erbium has an oxidation state of +3 and appears pink in this oxidation state.
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Sample Questions
Ques. Define the Transition elements with an example. (2 Marks)
Ans. The transition element is defined as the one that has incompletely filled d orbitals in its ground state or any one of its oxidation states.
E.g., Tin.
Ques. To which block does Erbium belong? (1 Mark)
Ans. Erbium belongs to f-block elements.
Ques. What is the electron configuration of Erbium? (1 Mark)
Ans. The electron configuration of Erbium is [Xe] 4f12 6s2.
Ques. Name two series of f-block. Give an example of an f-block element. (2 Marks)
Ans. Two series of f-blocks are lanthanoids and actinoids. Lanthanoids consist of 14 elements and actinoids consist of 14 elements.
E.g., Erbium.
Ques. What is lanthanoid contraction? Write any one consequence of lanthanide contraction. (2 Marks)
Ans. The size of lanthanoids decreases with the increasing atomic number and this is known as lanthanoid contraction. Because of lanthanoid contraction, the radius of the 3rd and 2nd transition series is very much similar.
Ques. What are rare earth elements? (2 Marks)
Ans. Elements with atomic numbers 57-71 are considered rare earth metals in addition to Scandium and yttrium. These are essential parts of many devices.
Ques. List a few uses of Erbium. (2 Marks)
Ans. A few uses of Erbium are
- Used as a coloring agent in glazes and glasses.
- Used in alloys to decrease the hardness of the metals.
- Used in photographic filters for absorption of light.
Ques. What are the health effects of Erbium? (2 Marks)
Ans. Erbium is believed to stimulate metabolism; it is found in high levels in the bones and in fewer levels in organs such as kidneys and livers.
Ques. State the occurrence of Erbium in nature. (2 Marks)
Ans. Erbium is one of the most abundant elements found in nature and is typically found in the monazite and bastnaesite minerals from which it is extracted using methods such as ion exchange and solvent extraction.
Ques. Comment on the reaction of Erbium with Water. (2 Marks)
Ans. Erbium, being a highly electropositive element, tends to react with water to form Erbium Hydroxide Er(OH)3 along with the production of Hydrogen gas (H2). Erbium reacts with cold water slowly as compared to hot water.
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