which contains yttrium and cerium, uranium and iron,
niobium, tantalum, titanium, and oxygen, named after
Vassili Samarsky-Bykhovets, who had been
a mining engineer in the Russian military.
*
Although Lecoq’s samarium oxide
contained a bit of europium (found later),
his spectral analysis showed two new blue lines
that established it against a flurry of competing claims.
*
J. Lawrence Smith thought he had found a new element
in samarskite, but it was a mix of terbium and holmium.
Marc Delafontaine thought he had found
another in samarskite but it was holmium.
Delafontaine identified a second new element in samarskite,
but it was later shown to be a mix of rare earths
including samarium, neodymium, and praseodymium.
Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac said he found
two new elements in samarskite but one was samarium
and the other . . . well, more on that later.
Atomic number 62
More common than tin
just harder to isolate,
samarium makes strong magnets
when alloyed with cobalt.
Samarium a minor component
of mischmetal in lighter flints.
Samarium(III) triflate
an efficient Lewis acid catalyst.
Samarium added to glass
helps absorb infrared.
Samarium-153 a radiation source
kills cancer cells.
Doable stuff
The samarium-cobalt magnet
was not developed
until the early 1970s.
Samarium is only slightly toxic,
and part of an enzyme
involved in DNA replication and repair.
OK. The story of samarium
seems to tell us
that we may fumble.
It may take us a long time;
it may be difficult and uncertain,
but an ideal is reachable.
It’s only a coincidence
that Lecoq discovered both gallium and samarium,
and that the atomic number of samarium
is exactly twice the atomic number of gallium.
The history of the discovery of samarium shows us
that this stuff isn’t easy. Rare earths
are placed in the same locations in the periodic table
because they are chemically very similar.
It’s only a coincidence that Lecoq discovered both gallium and samarium, and that the atomic number of samarium is exactly twice the atomic number of gallium.
The history of the discovery of samarium shows us that this stuff isn’t easy. Rare earths are placed in the same locations in the periodic table because they are chemically very similar.
See also in The book of science:
Readings on wikipedia:
Other readings: