Yttrium (Y)

Silvery metal

Yttrium is a silvery metal used in LEDs, lasers, and superconducting magnets for MRI machines, and as the namesake of yttrium barium copper oxide (YBa₂Cu₃O₇), it was the first material to superconduct above liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K). It is also used in red phosphors for TV screens.

Key metrics

Density4.47g/cm³

Melting point1,799K

Boiling point3,618K

Electronegativity1.22Pauling

Discovery

1794discovered

Discovered by: Johan Gadolin
Reactivity profile: Oxidizes in air
Reactivity: Medium
Bonding: Metallic

Electron configuration

\textcolor{#6b7280}{[Kr]}\; \textcolor{#22c55e}{4_{d}^{1}}\; \textcolor{#ef4444}{5_{s}^{2}}

[Kr] 4d1 5s2

Wave function

\Psi_{\text{Y}} \approx \frac{1}{\sqrt{39!}} \det \left| \chi_1(\mathbf{r}_1) \dots \chi_{39}(\mathbf{r}_{39}) \right|

Probability density $|\Psi|^2$ across the Y valence shell.

Crystal structure

Hexagonal Close-Packed

Lattice constantsa 1.00 · b 1.00 · c 1.63

Cell anglesα 90° · β 90° · γ 120°

Coordination number12

Atoms per cell2

Atomic packing factor0.74

Physical properties

Atomic radius: 180 pm
Ionization energy: 600 kJ/mol
Electron affinity: 30 kJ/mol
Crystal structure: Hexagonal close-packed (hcp)

Oxidation states

Acid/base

Basic

Strongly acidicStrongly basic

State at 25 °CSolid

1799 K3618 K298 K

Emission spectrum

3 transitions

380450500550600650700780

VioletBlueGreenYellowRed

408.2nmY IViolet90%

410.2nmY I (violet)Violet100%

554.5nmY I (green)Green50%

Dominant line 410.2 nmRange 408–555 nmTransitions 3