Chemistry

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Chemistry

Gadolinium Facts

Chemical & Physical Properties

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com

Gadolinium is a lustrous silvery-white metal.

Gadolinium is a lustrous silvery-white metal.

wikipedia.org
Periodic Table of the Elements

Gadolinium

Atomic Number: 64

Symbol: Gd

Atomic Weight: 157.25

Discovery: Jean de Marignac 1880 (Switzerland)

Electron Configuration: [Xe] 4f7 5d1 6s2

Element Classification: Rare Earth (Lanthanide)

Word Origin: Named after the mineral gadolinite.

Density (g/cc): 7.900

Melting Point (K): 1586

Boiling Point (K): 3539

Appearance: soft, ductile, silvery-white metal

Atomic Radius (pm): 179

Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 19.9

Covalent Radius (pm): 161

Ionic Radius: 93.8 (+3e)

Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 0.230

Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 398

Pauling Negativity Number: 1.20

First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 594.2

Oxidation States: 3

Lattice Structure: Hexagonal

Lattice Constant (Å): 3.640

Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.588

References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Lange's Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics (18th Ed.)

Return to the Periodic Table

Recent Chemistry Features | Chemistry Encyclopedia

Explore Chemistry

About.com Special Features

Chemistry

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Chemistry
  4. Periodic Table & Elements
  5. Element Facts
  6. Gadolinium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.