Name: Erbium

Atomic Symbol and Mass Number: Er [68]

Electron Configuration: [Xe] 4f   6s

Atomic Radii: 176 pm

Electron Affinity: 50 kJ mol‑1

Oxidation States: +2, +3

Electronegativity Value: 1.24

Elemental Group: Lanthanide

Uses and Properties:

• Erbium is a soft, malleable, lustrous, silver metal.

• It is very stable in air, it reacts very slowly with oxygen and water and dissolves in acids.

• Its salts are rose coloured and it has a sharp adsorption spectra in visible, ultraviolet and infrared light.

• Erbium finds little use as a metal because it slowly tarnishes in air and is attacked by water.

• When alloyed with metals such as vanadium, erbium lowers their hardness and improves their workability.

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Lewis Diagram: