erbium

[ ur-bee-uhm ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a rare-earth metallic element, having pink salts. : Er; : 167.26; : 68.

erbium

/ ˈɜːbɪəm /

noun

1. a soft malleable silvery-white element of the lanthanide series of metals: used in special alloys, room-temperature lasers, and as a pigment. Symbol: Er; atomic no: 68; atomic wt: 167.26; valency: 3; relative density: 9.006; melting pt: 1529°C; boiling pt: 2868°C

erbium

/ ûr′bē-əm /

1. A soft, silvery, metallic element of the lanthanide series. It is used as a neutron absorber in nuclear technology and in light amplification for fiber-optic telecommunications. Atomic number 68; atomic weight 167.26; melting point 1,497°C; boiling point 2,900°C; specific gravity 9.051; valence 3.
2. See Periodic Table

Word History and Origins

Origin of erbium¹

1835–45; < New Latin, named after Ytterby, Sweden, where first found; -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of erbium¹

C19: from New Latin, from ( Ytt ) erb ( y ), Sweden, where it was first found + -ium

Example Sentences

Researchers in Australia and China have created such devices with erbium crystals, storing quantum states for several hours.

From Science Magazine

The 17 elements are: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium.

From Reuters

The BECs produced for the three current experiments use atoms, such as erbium or dysprosium, that have strong permanent magnetic dipole moments.

From Nature

Rare earth metals are a group of 17 elements - lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium - that appear in low concentrations in the ground.

From Reuters

Other elements are less familiar—hafnium, erbium, dyprosium and praseodymium, say, which we do not much bump into in everyday life.

From Literature