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Understanding the element
Scandium (Sc) is chemical element 21. It belongs to the transition metals, 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 alloys, lighting and scientific research.
alloyslightingscientific research
Standard atomic weight44.955907(4)
What its position in the table tells us
Scandium sits in period 4, group 3 and the D block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Scandium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Scandium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses