Tierras raras
La enciclopedia de ciencias y tecnologías en Argentina
| Atomic number Z | Symbol | Name | Etymology | Selected applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Sc | Scandium | from Latin Scandia (Scandinavia), where the first rare earth ore was discovered | Light aluminium-scandium alloy for aerospace components, additive in Mercury-vapor lamps |
| 39 | Y | Yttrium | for the village of Ytterby (Sweden), where the first rare earth ore was discovered. | Yttrium-aluminum garnet (YAG) laser, yttrium vanadate (YVO4) as host for europium in TV red phosphor yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO); High-temperature superconductivity; high-temperature superconductors, yttrium iron garnet (yttrium iron garnet (YIG) microwave filters. |
| 57 | La | Lanthanum | from the Greek "lanthanein", meaning to be hidden. | High refractive index glass, flint, hydrogen storage, battery-electrodes, camera lenses, fluid catalytic cracking catalyst for oil refineries |
| 58 | Ce | Cerium | for the dwarf planet Ceres (dwarf planet) | Chemical oxidizing agent, polishing powder, yellow colors in glass and ceramics, catalyst for self-cleaning ovens, fluid catalytic cracking catalyst for oil refineries, ferrocerium flints for lighters |
| 59 | Pr | Praseodymium | from the Greek "prasios", meaning leek-green, and "didymos", meaning twin. | Rare-earth magnets, lasers, core material for carbon arc lighting, colorant in glasses and Vitreous enamels, additive in didymium glass used in welding goggles, Ferrocerium firesteel (flint) products. |
| 60 | Nd | Neodymium | from the Greek "neos", meaning new, and "didymos", meaning twin. | Rare-earth magnets, lasers, violet colors in glass and ceramics, ceramic capacitors |
| 61 | Pm | Promethium | for the titan Prometheus, who brought fire to mortals. | Atomic battery; Nuclear batteries |
| 62 | Sm | Samarium | for Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets, who discovered the rare earth ore samarskite. | Rare-earth magnets, lasers, neutron capture, masers |
| 63 | Eu | Europium | for the continent of Europe. | Red and blue phosphors, lasers, mercury-vapor lamps, NMR relaxation agent |
| 64 | Gd | Gadolinium | for Johan Gadolin (1760–1852), to honor his investigation of rare earths. | Rare-earth magnets, high refractive index glass or garnets, lasers, X-ray tubes, computer memories, neutron capture, MRI contrast agent, NMR relaxation agent |
| 65 | Tb | Terbium | for the village of Ytterby, Sweden. | Green phosphors, lasers, fluorescent lamps |
| 66 | Dy | Dysprosium | from the Greek "dysprositos", meaning hard to get. | Rare-earth magnets, lasers |
| 67 | Ho | Holmium | for Stockholm (in Latin, "Holmia"), native city of one of its discoverers. | Lasers |
| 68 | Er | Erbium | for the village of Ytterby, Sweden. | Lasers, vanadium steel |
| 69 | Tm | Thulium | for the mythological northern land of Thule. | Portable X-ray machines |
| 70 | Yb | Ytterbium | for the village of Ytterby, Sweden. | Infrared lasers, chemical reducing agent |
| 71 | Lu | Lutetium | for Lutetia, the city which later became Paris. | PET Scan detectors, high refractive index glass |