Atomic Number: 70     Period Number:6      Group Number:  None

Ytterbium is a soft and silvery metal, which belongs to lanthanide series. It has seven stable isotopes in nature: ¹⁶⁸Yb, ¹⁷⁰Yb, ¹⁷¹Yb, ¹⁷²Yb, ¹⁷³Yb, ¹⁷⁴Yb and ¹⁷⁵Yb.

Under very high physical stress, ytterbium’s electrical resistance increases by an order of magnitude. It is therefore used in stress gauges to monitor ground deformations caused by earthquakes or underground explosions. It is also used in alloys and add strength to the stainless steel. ¹⁶⁰Yb is used portable x-ray machines.

Physical and Chemical properties:

Atomic Weight: 173.054

Melting Point: 1092 K

Boiling Point: 1469 K

Density: 6.90 g/cm³

Phase at Room Temperature: Solid

Ionization Energy: 6.254 eV

Oxidation States: +3, +2