Compare Thulium vs Gadolinium: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Thulium and Gadolinium on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Thulium and Gadolinium comparison table side by side across over 90 properties. All the elements of similar categories show a lot of similarities and differences in their chemical, atomic, physical properties and uses. These similarities and dissimilarities should be known while we study periodic table elements. You can study the detailed comparison between Thulium vs Gadolinium with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare Tm vs Gd on more than 90 properties like electronegativity, oxidation state, atomic shells, orbital structure, Electronaffinity, physical states, electrical conductivity and many more. This in-depth comparison helps students, educators, researchers, and science enthusiasts understand the differences and similarities between Thulium and Gadolinium.
Thulium and Gadolinium Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Thulium (Tm) and Gadolinium (Gd), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 69 | 64 |
| Atomic Symbol | Tm | Gd |
| Atomic Weight | 168.93421 | 157.25 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Silver | Silver |
| Metallic Classification | Lanthanide | Lanthanide |
| Group in Periodic Table | Lanthanide (no group number) | Lanthanide (no group number) |
| Group Name | ||
| Period in Periodic Table | period 6 | period 6 |
| Block in Periodic Table | f -block | f -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Xe] 4f13 6s2 | [Xe] 4f7 5d1 6s2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 31, 8, 2 | 2, 8, 18, 25, 9, 2 |
| Melting Point | 1818 K | 1586 K |
| Boiling Point | 2223 K | 3523 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7440-30-4 | CAS7440-54-2 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Thulium | Neighborhood Elements of Gadolinium |
History
| Parameter | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| History | The element Thulium was discovered by T. Cleve in year 1879 in Sweden. Thulium derived its name from Thule, the ancient name for Scandinavia. | The element Gadolinium was discovered by J. C. G. de Marignac in year 1880 in Switzerland. Gadolinium derived its name from Johan Gadolin, chemist, physicist and mineralogist. |
| Discovery | T. Cleve (1879) | J. C. G. de Marignac (1880) |
| Isolated | T. Cleve (1879) | P.E.L. de Boisbaudran (1886) |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 0.1 / 0.001 | 2 / 0.02 |
| Abundance in Sun | 0.2 / 0.001 | 2 / 0.01 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 30 / 3 | 230 / 30 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 450 / 50 | 5200 / 680 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 0.0002 / 0.000007 | 0.0007 / 0.000028 |
| Abundance in Humans | - / - | - / - |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 19.13 cm3/mol | 19.903 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 222 pm | 233 pm |
| Covalent Radius | - | - |
| Van der Waals Radius | - | - |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum |  |  |
| Absorption Spectrum |  |  |
| Lattice Constant | 353.75, 353.75, 555.46 pm | 363.6, 363.6, 578.26 pm |
| Lattice Angle | π/2, π/2, 2 π/3 | π/2, π/2, 2 π/3 |
| Space Group Name | P63/mmc | P63/mmc |
| Space Group Number | 194 | 194 |
| Crystal Structure | Simple Hexagonal  | Simple Hexagonal |
Atomic and Orbital Properties
| Property | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 69 | 64 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 69 | 64 |
| Number of Protons | 69 | 64 |
| Mass Number | 168.93421 | 157.25 |
| Number of Neutrons | 100 | 93 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 31, 8, 2 | 2, 8, 18, 25, 9, 2 |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f13 6s2 | [Xe] 4f7 5d1 6s2 |
| Valence Electrons | 4f13 6s2 | 4f7 5d1 6s2 |
| Oxidation State | 3 | 3 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 2F7/2 | 9D2 |
| Shell structure |  |  |
Isotopes and Nuclear Properties
Thulium has 1 stable naturally occuring isotopes while Gadolinium has 6 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| Known Isotopes | 145Tm, 146Tm, 147Tm, 148Tm, 149Tm, 150Tm, 151Tm, 152Tm, 153Tm, 154Tm, 155Tm, 156Tm, 157Tm, 158Tm, 159Tm, 160Tm, 161Tm, 162Tm, 163Tm, 164Tm, 165Tm, 166Tm, 167Tm, 168Tm, 169Tm, 170Tm, 171Tm, 172Tm, 173Tm, 174Tm, 175Tm, 176Tm, 177Tm, 178Tm, 179Tm | 134Gd, 135Gd, 136Gd, 137Gd, 138Gd, 139Gd, 140Gd, 141Gd, 142Gd, 143Gd, 144Gd, 145Gd, 146Gd, 147Gd, 148Gd, 149Gd, 150Gd, 151Gd, 152Gd, 153Gd, 154Gd, 155Gd, 156Gd, 157Gd, 158Gd, 159Gd, 160Gd, 161Gd, 162Gd, 163Gd, 164Gd, 165Gd, 166Gd, 167Gd, 168Gd, 169Gd |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 169Tm | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 154Gd, 155Gd, 156Gd, 157Gd, 158Gd, 160Gd |
| Neutron Cross Section | 105 | 49000 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.025 | 7.3 |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 3 | 3 |
| Electronegativity | 1.25 Pauling Scale | 1.2 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | 3 | 3 |
| Electron Affinity | 50 kJ/mol | 50 kJ/mol |
| Ionization Energies | 1st: 596.7 kJ/mol 2nd: 1160 kJ/mol 3rd: 2285 kJ/mol 4th: 4120 kJ/mol | 1st: 593.4 kJ/mol 2nd: 1170 kJ/mol 3rd: 1990 kJ/mol 4th: 4250 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Gadolinium (7.901 g/cm³) is less dense than Thulium (9.321 g/cm³). This means that a given volume of Thulium will be heavier than the same volume of Gadolinium. Thulium is about 18 denser than Gadolinium
| Property | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Silver | Silver |
| Density | 9.321 g/cm3 | 7.901 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | 8.56 g/cm3 | 7.4 g/cm3 |
| Molar Volume | 19.13 cm3/mol | 19.903 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | 74 | 55 |
| Shear Modulus | 31 GPa | 22 GPa |
| Bulk Modulus | 45 GPa | 38 GPa |
| Poisson Ratio | 0.21 | 0.26 |
Hardness - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element | ||
| Mohs Hardness | - | - |
| Vickers Hardness | 520 MPa | 570 MPa |
| Brinell Hardness | 471 MPa | - |
Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
| Property | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 17 W/(m K) | 11 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.0000133 /K | 0.0000094 /K |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 1400000 S/m | 770000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 7e-7 m Ω | 0.0000013 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | - | 1.083 |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Paramagnetic | Ferromagnetic |
| Curie Point | 25 K | 292 K |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | 0.00000199 m3/kg | - |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | 3.36179e-7 m3/mol | - |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | 0.0185488 | - |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | - | - |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | - | 2680 m/s |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 1818 K | 1586 K |
| Boiling Point | 2223 K | 3523 K |
| Critical Temperature | - | - |
| Superconducting Point | - | 1.083 |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 16.8 kJ/mol | 10 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 250 kJ/mol | 305 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - | - |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Thulium | Gadolinium |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7440-30-4 | CAS7440-54-2 |
| RTECS Number | - | RTECSLW3850000 |
| DOT Hazard Class | 4.1 | - |
| DOT Numbers | 3089 | - |
| EU Number | - | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | - | - |
| NFPA Health Rating | - | - |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | - | - |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | - | - |
| Flashpoint | - | - |
Compare Thulium and Gadolinium With Other Elements
Compare Thulium and Gadolinium with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howThulium and Gadolinium stack up against other elements of the periodic table. Use our interactive comparison tool to analyze 90+ properties across different metals, non-metals, metalloids, and noble gases. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in engineering, chemistry, electronics, biology, and material science.