I would like to start doing chemistry with some of the lanthanides (rare earth metals, I mean), but I want to know with which metals should I begin
doing this chemistry. A friend of mine told me ytterbium was interesting to start with...
Which salts should I buy? Any ideas for interesting experiments (and preferably a bit easy?)?
Thanks!!
[Edited on 22-4-2012 by Eddygp]elementcollector1 - 22-4-2012 at 14:23
neodymium compounds and their amazing ability to change color depending on light source.
That's all I can think of...Pyridinium - 22-4-2012 at 14:55
Easiest / commonest one that comes to mind... cerium. Might as well start with that one.
And maybe you could make some cerium (IV) ammonium nitrate... nice bright colored compound, useful in analysis.
Eddygp - 24-4-2012 at 06:43
Thanks for the help! Any properties of the salts that may be interesting to see?LanthanumK - 24-4-2012 at 09:02
Several of the rare earth elements have interesting fluorescence properties. Terfenol-D is an interesting rare earth alloy that expands in a magnetic
field. Ytterbium is used as a detector for earthquakes and other high stresses because it changes resistance.blogfast25 - 24-4-2012 at 11:46
Try extracting the neodymium from neo magnets, very hands on and quite satisfying, not to mention quite cheap to do. A long thread on that here:
Ytterbium is used as a detector for earthquakes and other high stresses because it changes resistance.
Sorry
to dig up an old thread, but when I first read this, I thought it sounded a little sensational. Perhaps a clarification is in order:<a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ytterbium#Others" target="_blank">
Quote:
Ytterbium metal increases its electrical resistivity when subjected to high stresses. This property is used in stress gauges to monitor ground
deformations from earthquakes and explosions. <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png" />
