Yttrium(Y) is a silvery-metallic transition metal with lanthanide-like chemical properties that is referred to rare-earth element. Let us examine some Yttrium facts in more detail.
Johan Gadolin’s discovery of the yttrium. Yttrium ions that lack colour are known as transition metals. Although the metal “Yttrium” was first discovered in the late 18th century, it has only recently become widely employed. Yttrium turnings will burn in the open when temperatures exceed 400 °C.
Let us talk in detail about yttrium’s basic chemical properties, such as its atomic radius, electrical configuration, allotropic forms, and isotopes.
Yttrium symbol
A molecule’s symbol should be referred to as an atomic symbol used to represent an atom with one or two characters. Let us predict the Yttrium atomic symbol.
The atomic symbol of Yttrium is “Y” in the periodic table.
Yttrium group in periodic table
A group is a column of the periodic table where an element is arranged according to its atomic number. Let us check the periodic tables for the Yttrium group.
Yttrium belongs to group 3 in the periodic table.
Yttrium period in periodic table
Periods, which correspond to the consecutive occupation of valence shell orbitals, are the horizontal rows of the periodic table. Let us check the yttrium period now.
Yttrium is categorised as being in period 5 of the periodic table because it has three electrons in the valence shell.
Yttrium block in periodic table
The set of an element’s atomic orbitals in which the valence electrons are positioned is referred to as a block in the periodic table. Let us check the yttrium block.
Yttrium is the element of the d block also called the transition metal element. Because the valence electrons in yttrium’s outermost orbital are in the d block.
Yttrium atomic number
The atomic number of an element is the total number of protons it contains in its nucleus. Let us determine the yttrium atomic number.
Yttrium has an atomic number of 39, which indicates that it contains 39 protons and 39 electrons.
Yttrium atomic Weight
The mass of one atom of that specific element about a standard value is its atomic weight. Let us determine the yttrium atomic weight.
Yttrium’s atomic weight is 88.9059 g/mol since it represents the average mass of all of the element’s isotopes.
Yttrium Electronegativity according to Pauling
A molecule’s electronegativity is the ability of its atom to attract electrons. Let us predict yttrium’s electronegativity.
Yttrium has an electronegativity of 1.2, according to the Pauling scale, which is lower than the elements in the group above it. Additionally, the elements below yttrium have higher electronegativity.
Yttrium atomic Density
The amount of atoms or nuclides in a unit volume of a substance, measured in cm3, is known as atomic density. Let us figure out yttrium’s atomic density.
The atomic density of yttrium is 4.472 g/cm3 at room temperature. When it melts or M.point occur its density becomes 4.24 g/cm3. By dividing the mass of the yttrium by its volume, it is possible to determine the atomic density.
Yttrium melting point
Vapour pressure differs from the transition from a solid to a liquid. Let us determine the yttrium atom’s melting point.
Yttrium is a solid at room temperature and has a melting point of 1526 °C (2779 °F) at 1799 K.
Yttrium boiling point
When a substance’s vapour pressure reaches atmospheric pressure, it has reached its boiling point. Let us determine the yttrium’s boiling point.
The boiling point of the yttrium atom is (2930 °C, 5306 °F) at 3203 K.
Yttrium Vanderwaals radius
The mathematical formula takes into account the distance between two sphere-shaped atoms to get Van der Waal’s radius. Let us calculate the yttrium van der Waal radius.
Yttrium does not have a vanderwaals radius rather it has an atomic radius in the range of 2.32 Å or (180 pm=1 × 10‑12 m).
Yttrium ionic radius
It is known as the ionic radius when the cation and anion radii are added together. Let us determine Ytrium’s ionic radius.
Yttrium has an effective ionic radius of 89.3 pm and a crystal ionic radius of 104 pm, in its +3 form.
Yttrium isotopes
The number of protons in the compounds of the original element’s isotopes varies while the number of neutrons does not. Let us talk about the yttrium isotopes
Yttrium has 33 radioactive isotopes with a range of 77 to 109. With a half-life of >150 ns, Yttrium-106 is the least stable of the group, and Yttrium-88, with a half-life of 106.626 days, is the most stable. Below is a table of the most common yttrium isotopes:
| Isotopes of Yttrium | Atomic number | Atomic mass | Half-life | Decay mode | Daughter isotope | Excitation energy |
| 87Y | 39 | 86.9108757 | 79.8,3.4 d | β+ | 87Sr | 380.82 keV |
| 88Y | 39 | 87.9095011 | 106.616 d | β+ | 88Sr | 674.55 keV |
| 89Y | 39 | 88.9058483 | 15.663 s | Stable | Stable | 908.97keV |
| 90Y | 39 | 89.9071519 | 64.053h | β– | 90Zr | 681.67 keV |
| 91Y | 39 | 90.907305 | 58.51 d | β– | 91Zr | 555.58 keV |
Yttrium electronic shell
The nucleus is surrounded by structures called electronic shells, each of which has a certain amount of electrons. Let us talk about Yttrium’s electronic shell.
An electronic shell of yttrium surrounding a nucleus has the s, p and d orbital numbers 2, 8, 18, and 9, respectively.
Yttrium energy of first ionisation
The initial ionisation energy is the quantity of energy needed to expel the final valence electrons from the corresponding orbital. Let’s predict yttrium’s initial ionisation.
Yttrium’s first ionisation requires 600 kJ/mol of energy. Yttrium has its initial ionisation, which involves removing one electron from its d orbital.
Yttrium energy of second ionisation
Ionisation energy is produced when the outermost electron of an element in its +1 oxidation state is removed from the 2nd position. Let us observe yttrium’s second ionisation.
The energy of the second ionisation of yttrium is 1180 kJ/mol because of removing second electrons from s orbital.
Yttrium energy of third ionisation
The removal of electrons from an element’s respective orbital with a +2 oxidation state is known as third ionisation. Let us evaluate yttrium’s third ionisation.
The energy of the third ionisation of yttrium is 1980 kJ/mol because of removing 3rd electrons from the s orbital.
Yttrium oxidation states
An atom’s charge would be determined by its oxidation state if all of its bonds to various atoms were entirely ionic. Let us check the yttrium’s oxidation state.
Yttrium possesses a stable oxidation state of +3. Furthermore, it displays varied oxidation states like +1 and +2. Yttrium possesses three electrons in the s and d orbitals and the electron is taken out, a stable bond can form a +3 oxidation state.
Yttrium electron configurations
The electrons are arranged according to Hund’s rule in the accessible orbitals to form the electronic configuration. Let us check the electrical configurations of the yttrium.
Yttrium has the following electronic configurations: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d1 5s2 or [Kr] 4d1 5s2. Here, the first number denotes the fundamental quantum number, the letter denotes an orbital, and the final number denotes the total number of electrons.
Yttrium CAS number
A unique and unambiguous identity number issued globally, the CAS registry number is a special form of the number. Let us check the CAS number of yttrium.
The yttrium molecule’s CAS number is 7440-65-5, according to the chemical abstracts service.
Yttrium ChemSpider ID
Chem Spider IDs are specific, one-of-a-kind numbers that are assigned by the Royal Society of Chemistry to each chemical element. Let us check the ChemSpider for yttrium.
The Chem Spider ID for yttrium is 22429 provided by the royal society of chemistry. Similar to the CAS number, every element has a distinct one.
Yttrium allotropic forms
Have identical chemical properties but distinct physical characteristics from several structural forms of the same element. Let us talk about yttrium’s allotrope.
There are two yttrium structural allotropic forms. The temperature will determine the allotropic form. These are detailed in the table below:
| Allotropic form | Temperature | Structure type | Lattice Value |
| α-phase | At room temperature | Close-packed hexagonal structure | a = 3.6482 and c = 5.7318(Å) |
| β-phase | At 1478 °C | Body-centred cubic structure | a = 4.10(Å) |
Yttrium chemical classification
Chemical elements are categorised according to how reactive they are or whether they pose health risks to people. Let us describe the yttrium’s chemical properties.
Here is a list of yttrium’s chemical characteristics:
- Iron-grey yttrium is a rare-earth metal that has a high degree of crystallinity.
- It creates a stable oxide film on its surface during the reaction with water.
- Yttrium is rather stable in air, but it oxidises easily when heated.
- Yttrium with mineral acids reacts with water, breaking it down and releasing hydrogen gas.
Yttrium state at room temperature
The element specifies the condition at experimental pressure and room temperature. Let us see the yttrium condition at room temperature.
Yttrium is solid at room temperature. It is classified as a transition metal.
Is yttrium paramagnetic?
A magnetic field tends to weakly magnetize materials in the direction of the field. Let us discover if yttrium exhibits paramagnetic behaviour or not.
Yttrium is a paramagnetic metal because it has a temperature-independent magnetic susceptibility. When the pressure exceeds 110 kilobars, it reaches superconductivity at 1.3 K (271.9 °C or 457 °F). The value of magnetic susceptibility is shown in the table below:
| Magnetic Susceptibility | Value (temperature) |
| 263 | 27 °C (10 K) |
| 442 | 80 °F (300 K) |
Conclusion
Yttrium(Y) is a silvery-metallic transition metal with lanthanide-like chemical properties. Yttrium frequently has an oxidation state of +3. Additionally, it produces many insoluble water chemicals such as oxalate, hydroxide, and fluoride. The yttrium ion is colourless because its d and f shells lack electrons.
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