| Gadolinium |
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| Atomic Number - | 64 | Melting Point (°C,°F) - | 1312 °C, 2394 °F |
| Atomic Symbol - | Gd | Boiling Point (°C,°F) - | 3273 °C, 5923 °F |
| Atomic Mass - | 157.3 | Electron Configuration - | [Xe] 4f7 5d1 6s2 |
| Group - | N/A | Electrons Per Shell - | 2, 8, 18, 25, 9, 2 |
| Period - | 8 | Protons - | 64 |
| Series - | The Lanthanides | Neutrons - | 93 |
| Block - | s-block | | |
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Element Description - Gadolinium is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Gd and atomic number 64. |
Element Characteristics - Gadolinium is a silvery white, malleable and ductile rare earth metal with a metallic luster. It crystallizes in hexagonal, close-packed alpha form at room temperature; when heated to 1508 K, it transforms into its beta form, which has a body-centered cubic structure.
Unlike other rare earth elements, gadolinium is relatively stable in dry air; however, it tarnishes quickly in moist air and forms a loosely adhering oxide that spalls off and exposes more surface to oxidation. Gadolinium reacts slowly with water and is soluble in dilute acid.
Gadolinium has the highest thermal neutron capture cross-section of any (known) element, 49,000 barns, but it also has a fast burn-out rate, limiting its usefulness as a nuclear control rod material.
Gadolinium becomes superconductive below a critical temperature of 1.083 K. It is strongly magnetic at room temperature, and is in fact the only metal to exhibit ferromagnetic properties except for fourth period transition metals. |
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