Erbium facts for kids

Erbium is a special kind of metal found on the periodic table of elements. Its symbol is Er, and its atomic number is 68. This means that every erbium atom has 68 protons in its center. Erbium is a soft, silvery-white metal that belongs to a group called the lanthanides. These elements are often called "rare earth metals," even though they are not always super rare.

How Was Erbium Discovered?

Erbium was discovered by a Swedish scientist named Carl Gustaf Mosander in 1843. He was studying a mineral called gadolinite. From this mineral, he managed to separate a new substance which he named "erbia." This erbia was the oxide form of the new element, erbium. Mosander also discovered other elements like lanthanum and terbium. It took many more years for scientists to get pure erbium metal.

What Are Erbium's Properties?

Erbium is a silvery-white metal that is quite soft. It can be shaped and stretched easily. One of its cool features is that it can glow with a pink color under certain lights, especially when it's part of a compound. This happens because of how its electrons react to light. Erbium is also a ferromagnetic material at very low temperatures, which means it can act like a magnet. At room temperature, it's not magnetic.

What Is Erbium Used For?

Erbium has many interesting uses, especially in technology:

• Fiber Optics: Erbium is very important in fiber optics, which are used to send internet and phone signals through glass fibers. Erbium helps boost the light signals, allowing them to travel long distances without getting weak.
• Lasers: It's used to make special lasers that are safe for eyes. These lasers are used in medicine, for measuring distances, and in other scientific tools.
• Glass and Ceramics: Erbium can be added to glass and ceramics to give them a beautiful pink color. You might see this in some decorative items or special filters.
• Nuclear Technology: Because erbium can absorb neutrons, it's sometimes used in nuclear reactors to control the nuclear reactions.
• Photography: Erbium is also used in some photographic filters.

Where Can We Find Erbium?

Erbium is not found by itself in nature. Instead, it's usually mixed with other rare earth elements in minerals. Some of the main minerals where erbium is found include monazite, bastnäsite, and xenotime. These minerals are mined in various parts of the world, including China, the United States, India, and Brazil. Getting pure erbium from these minerals is a complex process that involves many steps.

Related pages

• Periodic table
• List of common elements

Images for kids

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  Erbium(III)chloride in sunlight, showing some pink glow.

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  Carl Gustaf Mosander, the scientist who discovered erbium.

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  Monazite sand, a mineral where erbium is found.

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  Glass colored pink by erbium.

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  A robot, symbolizing technology where elements like erbium are used.