Europium

Europium pronounced yoo-Ro-pee-em
 * Period Number:** 6
 * Group Number:** none
 * Group Name:** Lanthanide


 * Atomic Number:** 63
 * Atomic Weight:** 151.964


 * Melting Point:** 1095 K (822°C or 1512°F)
 * Boiling Point:** 1802 K (1529°C or 2784°F)
 * Density:** 5.24 grams per cubic centimeter
 * Phase at Room Temperature:** Solid
 * Element Classification:** Metal

**Estimated Crustal Abundance:** 2.0 milligrams per kilogram **Estimated Oceanic Abundance:** 1.3×10 -7 milligrams per liter **Number of Stable Isotopes:** 2 (  **Ionization Energy:** 5.670 eV  **Oxidation States:** +3, +2

Europium was discovered by Eugène-Antole Demarçay, a French chemist, in 1896. Demarçay suspected that samples of a recently discovered element,samarium, were contaminated with an unknown element. He was able to produce reasonably pure europium in 1901.
 * Electrons** 63
 * Protons** 63
 * Neutrons** 89

Europium is named after the continent of Europe. It is a moderately hard silvery metal which readily oxidises in air and water. Europium is a solid metal with a hardness similar to lead. Some properties of europium are strongly influenced by its half-filled electron shell. Europium has the second lowest melting point and the lowest density of all lanthanides.

Europium is the most reactive of the rare earth elements. There are no commercial applications for europium metal, although it has been used to make some types of plastics to make lasers. Since it is a good absorber of neutrons europium is being studied for use in nuclear reactors.