Thulium
THOO-li-em
Thulium (Tm) is a silvery coloured metal that has the atomic number 69 in the periodic table. It is a Lanthanide metal. It has the symbol Tm.
The Swedish scientist Per Teodor Cleve discovered two new materials when he was working with the mineral Erbia. He discovered one green and one brown. The green ore turned out to me the oxide of Thulium. It was purified by Charles James in New Hampshire in 1911. Thullium is not very abundant on earth and exists in minerals and ores in the earths crust. Thulium is used in lasers with Yttrium and also used as the radioactive isotope Tm 170 in nuclear reactors. It is a solid metal at room temperature with a melting point of 1545°c and a boiling point of 1950°c.
FAQ's
Per Theodor Cleve
1879
Uses
Radioactive thulium is used to power portable x-ray machines, eliminating the need for electrical equipment.
Sources
Found with other rare earths in the minerals gadolinite, euxenite, xenotime, and monazite. Monazite is often 50% rare earth by weight and 0.007% thulium.
About the author
Nathan M
Nathan has a degree in BSc Biomedical Chemistry at Warwick University and a degree in PGCE Science at Wolverhampton University, UK. Nathan's subject matter ranges from general chemistry and organic chemistry. Nathan also created the curriculum on Breaking Atom in the course page.
Citation
Tm
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