Dy
Dysprosium
Element 66 · Lanthanide
Dysprosium (Dy)
Dysprosium is a rare-earth metal added to neodymium magnets so they keep working at high temperatures.
- Lanthanide
- Period 6
- f-block series
- f-block
- solid at room temperature
Key properties
- Atomic mass
- 162.5
- u
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f10 6s2
- Melting point
- 1,411.9 °C
- 1,685 K
- Boiling point
- 2,566.9 °C
- 2,840 K
- Density
- 8.55 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 1.22
- Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 229 pm
- van der Waals
- 1st ionisation energy
- 5.939 eV
Compare with every element:Electronegativity chartAtomic radius chartIonisation energy chartDensity chart of the elementsMelting point chartElectron configuration chart
Did you know?
Notable facts about dysprosium
- 01
Lecoq de Boisbaudran needed more than 30 attempts to separate it, at home on his marble fireplace.
- 02
Most electric-car motors use magnets that contain dysprosium.
- 03
Dysprosium has one of the highest magnetic strengths of any element.
Applications
What is dysprosium used for?
- High-temperature magnets
- Nuclear control rods
- Data storage
- Halide lamps
History
Discovery & name origin
Discovered by
Year
Where
France
Name origin
Greek dysprositos, “hard to get at”.
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
- Atomic number
- 66
- Atomic mass
- 162.5 u
- Group
- Lanthanides (3)
- Period
- 6
- Block
- f-block
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f10 6s2
- Full configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f10
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 28, 8, 2
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.22
- Electron affinity
- —
- Atomic radius (van der Waals)
- 229 pm
- Stable isotopes
- 7
Oxidation states
Highlighted: common oxidation states (+3).
Successive ionisation energies
Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). Big jumps show where a new, inner shell begins.
- 1st573
- 2nd1,130
- 3rd2,200
- 4th3,990
Physical
Physical properties & colour
Physical
Physical properties & colour
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Melting point
- 1,685 K · 1,411.9 °C · 2,573.3 °F
- Boiling point
- 2,840 K · 2,566.9 °C · 4,652.3 °F
- Density
- 8.55 g/cm³
- Molar heat capacity
- 27.7 J/(mol·K)
- Appearance
- Silvery white
- CPK model colour
- Copied
The CPK colour is the convention used for this element’s atoms in molecular models.
FAQ
Dysprosium questions
What is Dy on the periodic table?
Dy is the symbol for dysprosium, element 66 on the periodic table. It sits in period 6, in the f-block, in the lanthanide category, and has an atomic mass of 162.5.
What is the atomic number of dysprosium?
Dysprosium has atomic number 66, so every dysprosium atom has 66 protons in its nucleus. Its symbol is Dy and its atomic mass is 162.5.
Who discovered dysprosium?
Dysprosium was discovered by Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran in 1886 (France). The name comes from Greek dysprositos, “hard to get at”.
What is dysprosium used for?
Dysprosium is used for: high-temperature magnets; nuclear control rods; data storage; halide lamps.
Is dysprosium a metal?
Yes. Dysprosium is a lanthanide, one of the metallic elements.
What is the electron configuration of dysprosium?
The electron configuration of dysprosium is [Xe] 4f10 6s2. Its 66 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 28, 8, 2.