Terbium
| Symbol | Tb |
| Atomic Number | 65 |
| Atomic Mass | 158.925 g.mol −3 |
| Discovered by | Carl Gustav Mosander |
| Group | Lanthanides | Melting point | 1359°C |
| Period | 6 | Boiling point | 3230°C |
| Block | f | Density (g cm−3) | 8.23 |
| Atomic number | 65 | Relative atomic mass | 158.925 |
| State at 20°C | Solid | Key isotopes | 159Tb |
| Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f9 6s2 | CAS number | 7440-27-9 |
| ChemSpider ID | 22397 | ChemSpider is a free chemical database | |
- Terbium (Tb) is a chemical element with atomic number 65 represented with the symbol Tb in the periodic table, which was discovered by Carl Mosander in the year 1843.
- It is named after a village of Ytterby in Sweden.
- Terbium is a soft, ductile, malleable and very rare element. It is so soft that can be cut with a knife.
- Tb is stable in air to some extent and oxidizes very slowly. It is attacked by cold water.
- It has simple ferromagnetic properties at temperatures below 219k. It changes into a helical antiferromagnetic state above 219 k, where all atomic moments in a particular basal plane layer are parallel.
- It is very rare to find this metal as a free element. Terbium is always available with other rare earth elements like monazite, xenotime, and euxenite. Some of the richest commercial terbium sources are ion adsorption clays of southern China.
- It is used as a doping agent in calcium tungstate, calcium fluoride and strontium molybdate which are used in solid-state devices. Works as a crystal stabilizer of fuel cells.
- Alloys of Terbium are used in the manufacturing of electronic devices like sensors, sound bug devices, and actuators.
- It is also used in the manufacture of color tv tubes and fluorescent lights.
- Terbium has no biological use and has low toxicity. When contacted, it may cause serious irritation to skin and eyes.
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