Samarium
Atomic number 62 means that every Samarium nucleus contains 62 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Samarium.
Start with the nucleus
Atomic number 62 means that every Samarium nucleus contains 62 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Samarium.
Samarium (Sm) is chemical element 62. It belongs to the lanthanoids, and its reference state at room temperature is a solid. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
In practice, it turns up most often in magnets, nuclear reactors and medical applications.
See the atom
Conceptual visual: electron shells are a learning aid, not a literal picture of quantum orbitals.
What this number means
Atomic number 62 means that every Samarium nucleus contains 62 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Samarium.