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Understanding the element
Neodymium (Nd) is chemical element 60. 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 magnets, lasers and speakers and headphones.
magnetslasersspeakers and headphones
Standard atomic weight144.242(3)
What its position in the table tells us
Neodymium 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
Neodymium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Neodymium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses