Eu
Europium
Atomic number: 63Mass: 151.964 uCategory: Lanthanide
About Europium
Europium is a moderately hard, silvery metal. It is the most reactive of the rare earth metals. Europium is used as a red and blue phosphor in colour TV tubes and as a security feature in euro banknotes.
Properties
Period
6
Group
N/A
Block
F
Category
Lanthanide
Electronegativity
1.20 (Pauling)
Ionization Energy
547.1 kJ/mol
Melting Point
1099 K (826°C)
Boiling Point
1802 K (1529°C)
Density
5.244 g/cm³
Oxidation States
+2, +3
Electron Configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f⁷ 5s² 5p⁶ 6s²
[Xe] 4f⁷ 6s²
Shell 1:2e⁻
Shell 2:8e⁻
Shell 3:18e⁻
Shell 4:25e⁻
Shell 5:8e⁻
Shell 6:2e⁻
Real-World Uses
Euro banknote security
Fluorescent lamps
TV phosphors
Lasers
White LED phosphors
Fun Fact
Euro banknotes contain europium compounds that glow under UV light — it's Europe's built-in anti-counterfeiting secret!