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Element 64 - Gadolinium (Gd)
From the mineral gadolinite, named after a Finnish chemist; discovered 1880. Falling in the middle of the rare-earth series, gadolinium divideds the ligher metals, which tend to impart pliant qualities to alloys, from the heavier metals, used mostly as strengthening agents.
Properties
Atomic Number
:
64
Atomic Weight
:
157.25
Electron Configuration
(at ground state):
1s
2
2s
2
2p
6
3s
2
3p
6
3d
10
4s
2
4p
6
4d
10
4f
7
5s
2
5p
6
5d
1
6s
2
Oxidation States
(Bold most stable):
+3
Boiling Point
(K):
3545
Melting Point (K):
1585
Density
(at 300K -- g/cm
3
):
7.90
Atomic Volume (at 300K -- cm
3
/mol)
19.9
Number of stable
isotopes
:
7
Mass Number
(Bold naturally occurring) --
Half-Life
--
Disintigration Type
:
150
-- 2.1 x 10
6
years --
alpha particle
emission
Covalent Radius (Å):
1.61
Atomic Radius (Å):
1.80
First
Ionization Potential
(V):
6.15
Electronegativity
(Pauling's):
1.20
Specific Heat
Capacity (at 300K -- J g
-1
K
-1
):
0.236
Heat of Vaporization (kJ/mol):
311.71
Heat of Fusion (kJ/mol):
15.48
Electrical Conductivity (at 293K for polycrystalline material -- 10
6
-1
cm
-1
):
0.8
Thermal Conductivity (at 300K -- W m
-1
K
-1
):
10.6
Crystal Structure:
Hexagonal
Acid
-
Base
Properties:
Very basic