
Lutetium element (Lu) is in period 6 of a periodic table. Lutetium is in the f-block and it is classified as a lanthanide on the periodic table.
There is a lot more information related to lutetium which is mentioned in the Information Table given below.
So let’s dive right into it!
Table of contents
- Lutetium element (Information Table)
- Lutetium element in Periodic table
- Facts about Lutetium
- Properties of Lutetium
- Uses of Lutetium
Lutetium Element (Information Table)
The important data related to lutetium element is given in the table below.
Appearance of lutetium | Silvery white appearance |
Atomic number of lutetium | 71 |
Symbol of lutetium | Lu |
Atomic mass of lutetium | 174.97 u |
Protons, Neutrons & Electrons in lutetium | Protons: 71, Neutrons: 104, Electrons: 71 |
State of lutetium (at STP) | Solid |
Period number of lutetium in periodic table | 6 |
Block of lutetium in periodic table | f-block |
Category of lutetium | Inner transition metals |
Bohr model or Electrons per shell or Electrons arrangement in lutetium | 2, 8, 18, 32, 9, 2 |
Electron configuration of lutetium | [Xe] 4f14 5d1 6s2 |
Orbital diagram of lutetium | ![]() |
Electronegativity of lutetium (on pauling scale) | 1.27 |
Atomic radius of lutetium (van der Waals radius) | 221 picometers |
Density of lutetium | 9.84 g/cm3 |
1st ionization energy of lutetium | 5.426 eV |
Main isotope of lutetium | 175Lu |
Melting point of lutetium | 1925 K or 1652 °C or 3006 °F |
Boiling point of lutetium | 3675 K or 3402 °C or 6156 °F |
Crystal structure of lutetium | Hexagonal Close Packed (HCP) |
Discovery of lutetium | By Georges Urbain and Carl Auer von Welsbach (in 1906) |
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).
Lutetium element in Periodic table
The Lutetium element (Lu) has the atomic number 71 and is located in period 6. Lutetium 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 lutetium
Here are a few interesting facts about lutetium element.
- Georges Urbain and Carl Auer von Welsbach discovered lutetium in the year 1906.
- Lutetium was given its name from the word “Lutetia”, which was the ancient name for Paris.
- Lutetium is the least abundant lanthanide on the periodic table.
- The earth’s crust has a lutetium in the proportion of 0.6 ppm by weight.
- Lutetium is mostly obtained from its ore monazite.
Properties of lutetium
Here is a list of some physical properties and chemical properties of lutetium.
Physical properties of lutetium
- Lutetium has a silvery white appearance.
- Lutetium has density of 9.84 g/cm3 and its atomic mass is 174.97 amu.
- The melting point and boiling point of lutetium is 1925 K and 3675 K respectively.
- Lutetium has many isotopes, and the most abundant isotope is 175Lu.
- Lutetium has a HCP crystal structure.
Chemical properties of lutetium
- Lutetium tarnishes when kept open in the air.
- Lutetium has an electronegativity of 1.27 on the pauling scale.
- Lutetium has a most common +3 oxidation state and it exists as a Lu3+ ion in its compounds.
Uses of lutetium
Here are some uses of the lutetium element.
- Lutetium hydroxide is used for cracking hydrocarbons.
- 176Lu is used to find the age of meteorites.
- 177Lu is used to treat cancer.
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