Page 118 - The Periodic Table Book

68
Er Erbium

Discovery: 1843
68 68 99 State: Solid
This glass contains
This silvery element Laboratory sample erbium, which protects The rose pink finish
slowly tarnishes on a welder’s eyes from of this vase is from an
contact with air. of pure erbium heat and bright light. erbium chloride glaze.

Pink pottery

Welding goggles

Like terbium and ytterbium, erbium is also
named after the Swedish village of Ytterby,
near which it was discovered. This element
does not occur in its pure form in nature, but
it can be obtained from the mineral monazite.
Many erbium compounds are pink in colour
and are used to colour pottery and glass.

69
Tm Thulium

State: Solid
69 69 100 Discovery: 1879

Laboratory sample of pure thulium

This machine emits
X-rays using a very
small amount of thulium.
Portable X-ray machine

This soft metal
glows blue under
ultraviolet (UV) light.

Thulium is the least abundant of all the
lanthanide metals. It is used to create lasers
that surgeons use to cut away damaged body
tissue. Thulium also has a radioactive form
that can produce X-rays: portable X-ray
116 machines make use of this form.

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