Whose work discovered the periodic table’s lanthanide series?
Quick Answer
Carl Auer von Welsbach’s and later chemists’ work identified the rare-earth elements, including the lanthanides, as a distinct series.
The Full Story
The rare-earth elements were gradually separated and identified during the 19th and early 20th centuries through spectroscopy and careful chemical separation. Carl Auer von Welsbach helped isolate several of these elements, including praseodymium and neodymium in 1885. The lanthanides occupy a special block in the periodic table because their 4f electrons fill in a closely related sequence. Their discovery showed how subtle chemistry can be among elements with very similar properties.
Key Facts
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