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Understanding the element
Erbium (Er) is chemical element 68. 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.
Where do we encounter it?
In practice, it turns up most often in fibre optics, lasers and special glasses.
fibre opticslasersspecial glasses
Standard atomic weight167.259(3)
What its position in the table tells us
Erbium sits in period 6 and the F block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Erbium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Erbium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses