Yttrium 39 Y 88.90585	Yttrium is used in color TV screens.

Properties

Symbol	Name	Atomic Number	Atomic Weight	Group Number
Y	Yttrium	39	88.90585	3

Description

Standard State: solid at 298 K
Color: Silvery White

Yttria, which is an earth containing yttrium, was discovered by Gadolin in 1794.   Ytterby is the sire of a quarry which yielded many unusually minerals containing are earths and other elements. This town, near Stockholm, bears the honor of giving names to erbium, terbium, and ytterbium as well as ytterium.

Yttrium occurs in nearly all of the rare-earth minerals.  The metal is know produced commercially by the reduction of the fluoride with calcium metal.  It can also be prepared by other techniques.  Turnings of the metal, however, ignite in air if their temperature exceeds 400°C. 

It is widely used in making TV tubes with gives it a red color.  Yttrium is also finding application laser systems and as a catalyst for ethylene polymerization.  It also has potential use in ceramic and glass formulas as the oxide has a high melting point and imparts shock resistance and low expansion characteristic to glass.