INTRODUCTION
Lanthanum is a metallic element, often regarded as the first member of the lanthanide series, to which it gives its name was derive.It burns in air at about 450°C (about 842°F) to form lanthanum oxide.
Lanthanum is quite regular, and similar to the trends in the group 1 and 2.It is mostly found together with the lanthanide elements in bastnaesite, monazite, and other minerals which is extremely difficult to seperate individual element.
BASIC INFORMATIONS
- Atomic Number
- 57
- Atomic Mass
- 138.90547
- Atomic radius
- 0.169
- Ionization energy
- 541
- Electronic config
- 2,8,18,18,9,2
- Principal Valency
- +2
- Density g/cm³
- 6.17
- Melting point °C
- 920
- Boiling point °C
- 3464
- Type of Element
- Metal
- Electronegativity
- 1.1
- Element Category
- Scandium Group
- Appearance
- Silvery white solid
- Block
- d-block
- Period
- 6
- Group
- 3
- No of Isotopes
- 39
- Occurrence
- Combine form
- Abundance in ppm
- 35
- Year of Discovery
- 1839
EXTRACTION
It is extracted by the electrolysis of it's fused salt
OXIDATION STATES
+3,+2 (Strongly basic)
MAJOR SOURCE
Bastnasite, Monazite
EXAMPLES OF COMPOUND PRESENT
Lanthanum oxide, Lanthanum trichloride
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
* Impure lanthanum is used in alloys such as misch metal, of which lanthanum is a major constituent.
* It is used in optical glass such as crooke's lenses, which give protection against Ultra Violet light