Element 69

Thulium (Tm)

Lanthanide · Period 6 · f-block

Thulium (Tm) is element 69 of the periodic table, a lanthanide in period 6 (f-block) with an atomic mass of 168.93 and is a solid at standard conditions.

At a glance

Atomic number
69
Symbol
Tm
Atomic mass
168.93 u
Category
Lanthanides
Period
6
Block
f-block
Phase at STP
solid

Electron structure

Electron configuration
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f13 5s2 5p6 6s2
Shorthand configuration
[Xe] 4f13 6s2
Electrons per shell
2, 8, 18, 31, 8, 2
Oxidation states
+2, +3

Physical properties

Melting point
1818 K
Boiling point
2223 K
Density
9.321 g/cm3
Phase
solid

Atomic properties

Electronegativity (Pauling)
1.25
Atomic radius
222 pm
Covalent radius
190 pm
First ionization energy
597 kJ/mol
Electron affinity
50 kJ/mol

Notable isotopes

IsotopeMassAbundanceStability
Tm-169168.93422100%Stable

Common uses

  • Portable X-ray devices
  • Lasers
  • Superconductors
  • Ceramics

Discovery

Year
1879
Discovered by
Per Teodor Cleve
Country
Sweden

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