Gd
Gadolinium
Atomic number: 64Mass: 157.25 uCategory: Lanthanide
About Gadolinium
Gadolinium is a silvery-white, malleable and ductile rare-earth metal. It has the highest neutron absorption capability of all known elements. Gadolinium-based compounds are used as MRI contrast agents.
Properties
Period
6
Group
N/A
Block
F
Category
Lanthanide
Electronegativity
1.20 (Pauling)
Ionization Energy
593.4 kJ/mol
Melting Point
1585 K (1312°C)
Boiling Point
3546 K (3273°C)
Density
7.9 g/cm³
Oxidation States
+3
Electron Configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f⁷ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹ 6s²
[Xe] 4f⁷ 5d¹ 6s²
Shell 1:2e⁻
Shell 2:8e⁻
Shell 3:18e⁻
Shell 4:25e⁻
Shell 5:9e⁻
Shell 6:2e⁻
Real-World Uses
MRI contrast agents
Nuclear reactor shielding
Magnetocaloric cooling
Phosphors
X-ray screens
Fun Fact
When you get an MRI scan with contrast dye, it almost certainly contains gadolinium — it's injected into your veins to enhance the images!