ytterbium

American  

[ih-tur-bee-uhm] / ɪˈtɜr bi əm /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a rare metallic element found in gadolinite and forming compounds resembling those of yttrium. Yb; 173.04; 70; 6.96.

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ytterbium British  

/ ɪˈtɜːbɪəm /

noun

1. a soft malleable silvery element of the lanthanide series of metals that occurs in monazite and is used to improve the mechanical properties of steel. Symbol: Yb; atomic no: 70; atomic wt: 173.04; valency: 2 or 3; relative density: 6.903 (alpha), 6.966 (beta); melting pt: 819°C; boiling pt: 1196°C

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ytterbium Scientific  

/ ĭ-tûr′bē-əm /

1. A soft, silvery-white metallic element of the lanthanide series that occurs as seven stable isotopes. It is used as a radiation source for portable x-ray machines. Atomic number 70; atomic weight 173.04; melting point 824°C; boiling point 1,196°C; specific gravity 6.972 or 6.54 (25°C) depending on allotropic form; valence 2, 3.

2. See Periodic Table

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Other Word Forms

• ytterbic adjective
• ytterbous adjective

Etymology

Origin of ytterbium

From New Latin, dating back to 1875–80; ytterbia, -ium

Example Sentences

Geological Survey geologists first identified rare earth mineralization in the Music Valley area in 1954, with sampling reporting enrichment in dysprosium, terbium, yttrium and ytterbium, Dateline Resources said in a press release.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

The region holds deposits of many of the very elements China has placed under export controls: yttrium, scandium, erbium, europium, ytterbium, samarium, and lutetium.

From Barron's • Oct. 24, 2025

Central to this innovation is the ytterbium thin-disk laser, which produces high-power, femtosecond pulses at megahertz repetition rates.

From Science Daily • Nov. 18, 2024

AQT uses calcium ions; the other two use ytterbium ions.

From Scientific American • Sep. 28, 2023

Their qubits consist of individual ytterbium ions trapped in an electromagnetic field on the surface of a chip.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 4, 2021