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Understanding the element
Yttrium (Y) is chemical element 39. 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 LEDs, lasers and ceramics.
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Standard atomic weight88.905838(2)
What its position in the table tells us
Yttrium sits in period 5, 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
Yttrium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Yttrium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses