Who discovered terbium and when was it detected?
Swedish chemist Carl Gustaf Mosander detected terbium as an impurity in yttrium oxide during 1843. He separated yttria into three fractions named yttria, erbia, and terbia.
Questions about Terbium
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where does the name terbium come from and what is its origin village?
Yttrium, erbium, and terbium all derive their names from the village of Ytterby in Sweden. The fraction labeled erbia contained what is today known as terbium and appeared yellow or dark orange in solution.
What are the physical properties and crystal structures of terbium metal?
Terbium presents as a silvery-white rare earth metal soft enough to cut with a knife. It exists in two crystal allotropes with a transformation temperature of 1289 degrees Celsius between them.
How many stable isotopes exist for natural terbium and which one is dominant?
Naturally occurring terbium consists solely of its stable isotope terbium-159 making it mononuclidic and monoisotopic. Thirty-nine radioisotopes range from 135Tb to 174Tb characterize the element.
Which minerals contain terbium and where are rich commercial sources located?
Terbium occurs within minerals including monazite containing up to 0.03 percent terbium and xenotime holding over 1 percent. Rich commercial sources currently include ion-absorption clays found in southern China.
What are the primary applications of terbium in modern technology and medicine?
Green phosphors utilize terbium oxides in fluorescent lamps color TV tubes and flat screen monitors. Terbium-149 offers promising potential for targeted alpha therapy due to its four-point one hour half-life.