WebElements Periodic Table of the Elements | Lanthanum

Lanthanum: historical information

Lanthanum was discovered by Carl Gustaf Mosander at 1839 in Sweden. Origin of name: from the Greek word "lanthanein" meaning "to lie hidden"

Carl Gustav Mosander recognized the element lanthanum in impure cerium nitrate in 1839. His extraction resulted in the oxide lanthana (La₂O₃). A number of other lanthanides (rare-earths) were later discovered by identification of the impurities in yttrium and cerium compounds.

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Sr
Ba	La	Ce
Ra	Ac	Th

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Lanthanum	Lanthane
Lanthan	Lanthaan
Lantanio	Lantano
Lantan	Lantânio

Lanthanum
- Essential data: names, symbol, atomic number, and atomic weight; block, period, and group in periodic table; description; standard state; registry number; and isolation
- History: meaning of name; discovery; and history of the element
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Lanthanum around us
- Uses
- Geology: Abundance of elements in the universe; the sun; meteorites; Earth's crust; oceans; and streams
- Biology: Abundance in humans; biological role; and health hazards)
Lanthanum compounds
- Compounds: halides, oxides, sulfides, hydrides, and complexes; lattice energies; and reduction potentials
- Electronegativities: Pauling; Sanderson; Allred Rochow; Mulliken-Jaffe; and Allen
- Bond enthalpies of diatomic species
- Lattice energies
Element properties
- Physics properties: Boiling point; melting point; density; molar volume; thermal conductivity; and electrical resistivity; bulk modulus; critical temperature; superconductivity temperature; hardness (mineralogical, Brinell, and Vickers); linear expansion coefficient; Poisson's ratio; reflectivity; refractive index; rigidity modulus; Young's modulus; velocity of sound
- Images
- Reactions of calcium: reactions of lanthanum with air; water; halogens; acids; and bases
- Crystal structure
- Thermochemistry: enthalpies of atomization, fusion, and vaporization; thermodynamic properties
Atom properties
- Electron shell properties: Electronic configuration; term symbol; electron affinity; ionization energies; and atomic spectra
- Atom sizes: atomic radius; Shannon and Pauling ionic radii; covalent radius; metallic radius; element bond length; and Van der Waals radius
- Atomic orbital properties: effective nuclear charge; electron binding energies; and valence orbital radii maxima
Nuclear properties
- Isotopes: isotope abundances; radioactive isotopes; isotope masses; nuclear spins; and nuclear magnetic moment
- NMR properties: frequencies; isotopes; magnetogyric ratios; quadrupole moments; receptivities; and relative sensitivities

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