Dysprosium (Dy)
"Meet 'Magnetic Dy', the elusive powerhouse of the periodic table! Hard to find, but once you do, its super-strong magnetic force can tame extreme temperatures and power our future."
A memorable persona to anchor Dy in your mind.
8.54
Grams per cm³
1412
Celsius (°C)
229
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
The super-strong magnet making your electric car zip and your phone's vibration motor hum.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1886
Discovered By
Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the Greek 'dysprositos', meaning hard to get."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
162.5 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
2567°C
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f106s2
1st Ionization Energy
5.939 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"It's a bright, silvery-white metal that gleams with hidden strength."
Did You Know?
Dysprosium’s name comes from the Greek word 'dysprositos,' meaning 'hard to get' – a nod to how tricky it was for scientists to first isolate it!
Don't let its name fool you! While a 'rare earth' element, it's actually about as common in Earth's crust as tin, but extracting it is a whole different challenge.
This element is a magnetic superstar! It possesses one of the highest magnetic strengths of any element, especially when chilled to super-cold temperatures.
Ever wonder how tiny computer hard drives store so much data? Dysprosium is a key ingredient in their powerful magnets, crunching numbers at lightning speed!