
Lanthanum element (La) is in period 6 of a periodic table. Lanthanum is in the d-block and it is classified as a lanthanide on the periodic table.
There is a lot more information related to lanthanum which is mentioned in the Information Table given below.
So let’s dive right into it!
Table of contents
- Lanthanum element (Information Table)
- Lanthanum element in Periodic table
- Facts about Lanthanum
- Properties of Lanthanum
- Uses of Lanthanum
Lanthanum Element (Information Table)
The important data related to lanthanum element is given in the table below.
Appearance of lanthanum | Silvery white metallic appearance |
Atomic number of lanthanum | 57 |
Symbol of lanthanum | La |
Atomic mass of lanthanum | 138.91 u |
Protons, Neutrons & Electrons in lanthanum | Protons: 57, Neutrons: 82, Electrons: 57 |
State of lanthanum (at STP) | Solid |
Period number of lanthanum in periodic table | 6 |
Block of lanthanum in periodic table | d-block |
Category of lanthanum | Lanthanides |
Bohr model or Electrons per shell or Electrons arrangement in lanthanum | 2, 8, 18, 18, 9, 2 |
Electron configuration of lanthanum | [Xe] 5d1 6s2 |
Orbital diagram of lanthanum | ![]() |
Electronegativity of lanthanum (on pauling scale) | 1.1 |
Atomic radius of lanthanum (van der Waals radius) | 240 picometers |
Density of lanthanum | 6.15 g/cm3 |
1st ionization energy of lanthanum | 5.577 eV |
Main isotope of lanthanum | 139La |
Melting point of lanthanum | 1193 K or 920 °C or 1688 °F |
Boiling point of lanthanum | 3737 K or 3464 °C or 6267 °F |
Crystal structure of lanthanum | Double Hexagonal Close Packed (DHCP) |
Discovery of lanthanum | By Carl Gustaf Mosander in 1838 |
Also see: Interactive Periodic Table (It has rotating bohr models as well as many other details of all the 118 elements in a single periodic table).
Lanthanum element in Periodic table
The Lanthanum element (La) has the atomic number 57 and is located in period 6. Lanthanum is a metal and it is classified as a lanthanide group element.
H | He | ||||||||||||||||
Li | Be | B | C | N | O | F | Ne | ||||||||||
Na | Mg | Al | Si | P | S | Cl | Ar | ||||||||||
K | Ca | Sc | Ti | V | Cr | Mn | Fe | Co | Ni | Cu | Zn | Ga | Ge | As | Se | Br | Kr |
Rb | Sr | Y | Zr | Nb | Mo | Tc | Ru | Rh | Pd | Ag | Cd | In | Sn | Sb | Te | I | Xe |
Cs | Ba | La* | Hf | Ta | W | Re | Os | Ir | Pt | Au | Hg | Tl | Pb | Bi | Po | At | Rn |
Fr | Ra | Ac** | Rf | Db | Sg | Bh | Hs | Mt | Ds | Rg | Cn | Nh | Fl | Mc | Lv | Ts | Og |
*Ce | Pr | Nd | Pm | Sm | Eu | Gd | Tb | Dy | Ho | Er | Tm | Yb | Lu | ||||
**Th | Pa | U | Np | Pu | Am | Cm | Bk | Cf | Es | Fm | Md | No | Lr |
Facts about lanthanum
Here are a few interesting facts about the lanthanum element.
- Lanthanum was given its name from a Greek word “lanthano”, which means “to be hidden”.
- The concentration of lanthanum in the earth’s crust is around 32 ppm.
- The annual production of lanthanum in the entire world is around 12500 tons.
- The leading producers of lanthanum are China, Russia and Malaysia.
- Lanthanum is the most reactive rare earth element on the periodic table.
Properties of lanthanum
Here is a list of some physical properties and chemical properties of lanthanum.
Physical properties of lanthanum
- Lanthanum has a silvery white metallic appearance.
- Lanthanum is a malleable as well as ductile which means that it can be drawn into thin sheets and wires.
- Lanthanum is a soft metal. It can also be cut with a knife.
- Lanthanum has a DHCP (double hexagonal close packed) crystal structure.
- The melting point and boiling point of lanthanum is 1193 K and 3737 K respectively.
Chemical properties of lanthanum
- Lanthanum reacts with water at room temperature.
- Lanthanum also shows chemical reactions with boron, carbon, nitrogen as well as halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, etc).
- Lanthanum also reacts with oxygen in the air and it tarnishes slowly.
- Lanthanum has an electronegativity of 1.1 on the pauling scale.
Uses of lanthanum
Here are some uses of the lanthanum element.
- Lanthanum oxide is used in manufacturing of night vision glasses as well as some camera lenses.
- The rechargeable batteries of hybrid automobiles also use lanthanum.
- Lanthanum is also used in carbon arc lighting used in studio lightings.
- Lanthanum is also used in manufacturing of nodular cast iron.
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