How did europium and gadolinium get their names?

               You do not have to think too much to realize how europium got its name. It is named after the continent Europe.

               Europium is silvery white in colour. However, since the element reacts with air, it is rarely seen without dis-colouration. It can be easily moulded or shaped, and is about as hard as lead. The French chemist, Eugene-Anatole Demarcay, is credited with the discovery of the element as it was he who ultimately produced a relatively pure form of europium in 1901. Although humans had been using this element and had known of its existence, it took many years for man to isolate the element properly.

               Europium can be found in the ores bastnasite and monazite. The element has also been identified in the sun, and some other stars. The atomic number of europium is 63, and it is represented as Eu.

               Gadolinium is also silvery white in colour in its pure form. It is named after the mineral gadolinite, one of the minerals in which gadolinium is found. It is a malleable and ductile element. Its magnetic properties allow it to be tracked through the human body; and therefore, it is used for magnetic resonance imaging in medical diagnosis. The atomic number of gadolinium is 64, and the symbol is Gd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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