PRASEODYMIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENT: LANTHANIDE
| Atomic number: | 59 |
| Group numbers: | 3 |
| Period: | 6 |
| Electronic configuration: | [Xe] 4f3 6s2 |
| Formal oxidation number: | +3 |
| Electronegativities: | 1.13 |
| Atomic radius / pm: | 182 |
| Relative atomic mass: | 140.907 66(2) |
Praseodymium was discovered by Carl Freiherr Auer von Welsbach (AT) in 1885. The origin of the name comes from the Greek words prasios didymos meaning green twin. It is a silvery white, moderately soft, malleable, ductile metal that reacts slowly with oxygen but reacts rapidly with water. Metal ignites and burns readily. Praseodymium is obtained from same salts as neodymium. It is used with neodymium to make lenses for glass maker's goggles since it filters out the yellow light present in glass blowing. Alloyed with magnesium praseodymium creates a high-strength metal used in aircraft engines. Misch metal, used in the manufacture of pyrophoric alloys for cigarette lighters, contains about 5% praseodymium metal. (Typically composition of misch metal are Ce:Nd:Pr:La:Other rare earth=50:18:6:22:4). The price of 99.9 % pure praseodymium ingot is 184.50 € for 50 g.
| Density / g dm-3: | 6773 | (293 K) |
| Molar volume / cm3mol-1: | 20.80 | (293 K) |
| Electrical resistivity / µΩcm: | 68 | (20 °C) |
| Thermal conductivity / W m-1K-1: | 12.5 |
| Melting point / °C: | 931 |
| Boiling point / °C: | 3520 |
| Heat of fusion / kJ mol-1: | 11.3 |
| Heat of vaporization / kJ mol-1: | 357 |
| Heat of atomization / kJ mol-1: | 356.69 |
| First ionization energy / kJ mol-1: | 527.20 |
| Second ionization energy / kJ mol-1: | 1017.93 |
| Third ionization energy / kJ mol-1: | 2086.41 |
| in the atmosphere / ppm: | - |
| in the Earth's crust / ppm: | 3.9 |
| in the oceans / ppm: | 0.0000002 |
| Crystal structure: | hexagonal |
| Unit-cell dimensions / pm: | a=367.25, c=1183.5 |
| Space group: | P63/mmc |
| Isotope | Relative atomic mass | Mass percent (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 141Pr | 140.907648(3) | 100 |
| Balanced half-reaction | Eo / V | |
|---|---|---|
| 58 Cerium | ← | 59 Praseodymium | → | 60 Neodymium |
Citing this page:
Generalic, Eni. "Praseodymium." EniG. Periodic Table of the Elements. KTF-Split, 18 Jan. 2024. Web. {Date of access}. <https://www.periodni.com/pr.html>.
