Atomic number:66

Group numbers:3

Period:6

Electronic configuration:[Xe] 4f¹⁰ 6s²

Formal oxidation number:+3

Electronegativities:1.22

Atomic radius / pm:175.2

Relative atomic mass:162.500 ± 0.001

 

Dysprosium was discovered by Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran (FR) in 1886. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word dysprositos meaning hard to obtain. It is a soft, lustrous, silvery metal that reacts with oxygen and water. Dysprosium is a reductant and dissolves in acids. Metal ignites and burns readily. Dysprosium is usually found with erbium, holmium and other rare earths in some minerals such as monazite sand. Dysprosium uses are limited to the experimental and esoteric. Some isotopes of dysprosium are effective absorbers of thermal neutrons and are being considered for use in the control rods in nuclear reactors.

Density / g dm^-3:8550 (293 K)

Molar volume / cm³mol^-1:19.01 (293 K)

Electrical resistivity / μΩcm:57 (20 °C)

Thermal conductivity / W m^-1K^-1:10.7

Melting point / °C:1412

Boiling point / °C:2567

Heat of fusion / kJ mol^-1:17.2

Heat of vaporization / kJ mol^-1:293

Heat of atomization / kJ mol^-1:293.05

1st ionization energy / kJ mol^-1:573.02

2nd ionization energy / kJ mol^-1:1125.99

3rd ionization energy / kJ mol^-1:2199.88

in the atmosphere / ppm:-

in the Earth's crust / ppm:3.6

in the oceans / ppm:0.0000002