1878,1907

Ytterbium

• Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac
• split terbia into terbia and (he called it) ytterbia,
• the oxide of ytterbium,
• the fourth element named after Ytterby, Sweden.
• *
• Years later, Georges Urbain isolated
• from ytterbium oxide two elements—
• neoytterbia, later named ytterbium,
• and lutecia, later named lutetium.

Atomic number 70

• A little ytterbium-169
• is a radiation source in portable X-ray machines.
• A little ytterbium improves
• the mechanical properties of stainless steel.
• A little ytterbium helps make
• an efficient laser with a short pulse.

Exceedingly little

• Ytterbium occurs naturally as
• a mixture of seven isotopes.
• All seven exist in
• exceedingly small quantities.
• Exceedingly rare qualities, rare things
• matter a lot.