Transition metals
Yttrium
A transition metal used in LEDs and superconductors.
Atomic #39Mass88.906Blockd-blockPeriod5Group3
Y39 · 88.906
3D Atom Explorer
Inside the Yttrium atom
Switch between Bohr and Quantum Cloud modes to compare a simple teaching model with a more realistic probability-based view, and follow the guided tour to explore the Yttrium atom step by step.
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Electron configuration
[Kr] 4d1 5s2
A neutral Yttrium atom has 39 electrons (equal to its proton count). Choosing a different isotope above changes only the neutron count.
Shell distribution
Shell 12 e⁻Shell 28 e⁻Shell 318 e⁻Shell 49 e⁻Shell 52 e⁻
Electrons fill inner shells before outer ones; the outermost (valence) shell drives the element's chemistry.
Properties
Physical & atomic properties
- State (room temp)
- Solid
- Melting point
- 1799 K (1526 °C)
- Boiling point
- 3609 K (3336 °C)
- Density
- 4.469 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 1.22 Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 180 pm
- 1st ionization energy
- 600 kJ/mol
- Category
- Transition metals
History
Discovery & naming
- Discovered
- 1794
- Discovered by
- Johan Gadolin
- Origin of name
- Ytterby, a village in Sweden.
Notable uses
LED phosphors, superconductors, and lasers.
Cosmic origin
Where Yttrium comes from
Stellar fusion and dying stars
An important source is slow neutron capture in dying low-mass stars.
Simplified origin map — many elements form through more than one astrophysical pathway.
Summary
- Atomic number
- 39
- Atomic mass
- 88.906
- Category
- Transition metals
- Group · Period
- 3 · 5
- Block
- d-block
- Shells
- 2 · 8 · 18 · 9 · 2