Yttrium (Y)
Element 39 · Transition metal · atomic mass 88.906 u · group 3, period 5
Electron shells: 2, 8, 18, 9, 2
Yttrium is a rare-earth metal used to make phosphors glow and superconductors work at liquid-nitrogen temperature. One small Swedish quarry gave four elements their names.
Yttrium, ytterbium, terbium and erbium are all named after the same village: Ytterby.
- Atomic number
- 39
- Atomic mass
- 88.906 u
- Electron configuration
- [Kr] 5s² 4d¹
- Group · period · block
- 3 · 5 · d
- Oxidation states
- +3
- Electronegativity
- 1.22 (Pauling)
- Melting point
- 1,522 °C
- Boiling point
- 3,345 °C
- Density
- 4.47 g/cm³
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Appearance
- Silvery metal
- Discovered
- Johan Gadolin, 1794
39 protons, and 39 electrons when neutral
IUPAC standard atomic weight
Group 3
What Yttrium is used for
- Red phosphors in displays and LEDs
- YAG lasers
- High-temperature superconductors
- Oxygen sensors and ceramics
Atomic structure of Yttrium
A neutral yttrium atom has 39 protons and 39 electrons. Its most common isotope carries about 50 neutrons, which is where the mass number 89 comes from. Change the neutron count and you have a different isotope of yttrium; change the proton count and you have a different element entirely.
Those electrons fill shells from the inside out: 2, 8, 18, 9, 2. In orbital notation that is [Kr] 5s² 4d¹. As a d-block element its valence count is variable, which is why it can form compounds in several oxidation states.
3D electron orbitals
See where Yttrium's electrons actually are — a cloud of 26,000 points sampled from the probability density |ψ|², not a cartoon of a lobe.
Where Yttrium sits in the periodic table
Discovery and naming
Yttrium was discovered by Johan Gadolin in 1794. Its name comes from Ytterby, a Swedish village.
Keep exploring
Atomic weight from IUPAC/CIAAW; physical properties from PubChem (US National Library of Medicine). Values that have never been measured are shown as “not measured” rather than estimated.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the atomic mass of Yttrium?
The standard atomic weight of Yttrium is 88.906 u, as published by IUPAC's Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Yttrium have?
Yttrium has 39 protons, because the atomic number is the proton count and that is what makes an atom Yttrium at all. A neutral Yttrium atom has the same number of electrons, 39. The neutron count varies by isotope; the most common one has about 50, since 89 − 39 = 50.
What is the electron configuration of Yttrium?
The electron configuration of Yttrium is [Kr] 5s² 4d¹. Its electrons are arranged 2, 8, 18, 9, 2 across 5 shells.
Is Yttrium a metal?
Yes. Yttrium is classified as a transition metal, on the metallic side of the table.
What group and period is Yttrium in?
Yttrium is in group 3 (the group 3), period 5, in the d-block. The group is its column and the period is its row.
What is the charge of Yttrium?
Yttrium most commonly forms a 3+ ion. Like most transition metals it has several accessible oxidation states, so the charge depends on the compound.
What is the melting point of Yttrium?
Yttrium melts at 1,522 °C and boils at 3,345 °C. That puts it in the solids at everyday temperatures.
What is Yttrium used for?
Red phosphors in displays and LEDs, YAG lasers, High-temperature superconductors, Oxygen sensors and ceramics. Yttrium is a rare-earth metal used to make phosphors glow and superconductors work at liquid-nitrogen temperature.
Who discovered Yttrium, and where does its name come from?
Yttrium (Y) was discovered by Johan Gadolin in 1794. The name comes from Ytterby, a Swedish village.