Y
Yttrium
Element 39 · Transition metal
Yttrium (Y)
Yttrium is a silvery transition metal chemically similar to the lanthanides. Its compounds make red phosphors and superconductors.
- Transition metal
- Period 5
- Group 3
- d-block
- solid at room temperature
Key properties
- Atomic mass
- 88.9058
- u
- Electron configuration
- [Kr] 4d1 5s2
- Melting point
- 1,521.9 °C
- 1,795 K
- Boiling point
- 3,344.9 °C
- 3,618 K
- Density
- 4.47 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 1.22
- Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 219 pm
- van der Waals
- 1st ionisation energy
- 6.217 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 yttrium
- 01
Ytterby’s quarry is the source of the names yttrium, ytterbium, terbium and erbium.
- 02
YBCO, an yttrium barium copper oxide, superconducts above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen.
- 03
Moon rocks brought back by Apollo contain unusually high amounts of yttrium.
Applications
What is yttrium used for?
- LED and display phosphors
- Superconductors
- Lasers (Nd:YAG)
- Strengthening alloys
History
Discovery & name origin
Discovered by
Year
Where
Finland
Name origin
From Ytterby, a village in Sweden that gave its name to four elements.
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
- Atomic number
- 39
- Atomic mass
- 88.9058 u
- Group
- 3
- Period
- 5
- Block
- d-block
- Electron configuration
- [Kr] 4d1 5s2
- Full configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d1
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 9, 2
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.22
- Electron affinity
- 0.307 eV
- Atomic radius (van der Waals)
- 219 pm
- Stable isotopes
- 1
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.
- 1st600
- 2nd1,180
- 3rd1,980
- 4th5,847
- 5th7,430
- 6th8,970
- 7th11,190
- 8th12,450
Physical
Physical properties & colour
Physical
Physical properties & colour
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Melting point
- 1,795 K · 1,521.9 °C · 2,771.3 °F
- Boiling point
- 3,618 K · 3,344.9 °C · 6,052.7 °F
- Density
- 4.47 g/cm³
- Molar heat capacity
- 26.53 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
Yttrium questions
What is Y on the periodic table?
Y is the symbol for yttrium, element 39 on the periodic table. It sits in group 3, period 5, in the transition metal category, and has an atomic mass of 88.9058.
What is the atomic number of yttrium?
Yttrium has atomic number 39, so every yttrium atom has 39 protons in its nucleus. Its symbol is Y and its atomic mass is 88.9058.
Who discovered yttrium?
Yttrium was discovered by Johan Gadolin in 1794 (Finland). The name comes from from Ytterby, a village in Sweden that gave its name to four elements.
What is yttrium used for?
Yttrium is used for: LED and display phosphors; superconductors; lasers (Nd:YAG); strengthening alloys.
Is yttrium a metal?
Yes. Yttrium is a transition metal, one of the metallic elements.
What is the electron configuration of yttrium?
The electron configuration of yttrium is [Kr] 4d1 5s2. Its 39 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 9, 2.