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Element 67 - Holmium (Ho) sound

From Holmia, Latin name for Stockholm; discovered 1879. Like dysprosium, holmium is a metal which can absorb fission-bred neutrons. It is used in nuclear reactors as a burnable poison--i.e., one that burns up while it is keeping a chain reaction from running out of control.

Properties

Atomic Number: 67
Atomic Weight: 164.9303
Electron Configuration (at ground state): 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p64d104f115s25p66s2
Oxidation States (Bold most stable): +3
Boiling Point (K): 2968
Melting Point (K): 1747
Density (at 300K -- g/cm3): 8.80
Atomic Volume (at 300K -- cm3/mol) 18.7
Number of stable isotopes: 1
Mass Number (Bold naturally occurring) -- Half-Life -- Disintigration Type: 166 -- 1.2 x 103 years -- beta particle (electron) emission
Covalent Radius (Å): 1.58
Atomic Radius (Å): 1.79
First Ionization Potential (V): 6.02
Electronegativity (Pauling's): 1.23
Specific Heat Capacity (at 300K -- J g-1 K-1): 0.165
Heat of Vaporization (kJ/mol): 251.04
Heat of Fusion (kJ/mol): 17.15
Electrical Conductivity (at 293K for polycrystalline material -- 106 (ohms)-1 cm-1): 1.1
Thermal Conductivity (at 300K -- W m-1 K-1): 16.2
Crystal Structure: Hexagonal
Acid-Base Properties: Slightly basic