Compare Yttrium vs Magnesium: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Yttrium and Magnesium on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Yttrium and Magnesium 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 Yttrium vs Magnesium with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare Y vs Mg 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 Yttrium and Magnesium.
Yttrium and Magnesium Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Yttrium (Y) and Magnesium (Mg), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 39 | 12 |
| Atomic Symbol | Y | Mg |
| Atomic Weight | 88.90585 | 24.305 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Silver | Silver |
| Metallic Classification | Transition Metal | Alkaline Earth Metal |
| Group in Periodic Table | group 3 | group 2 |
| Group Name | scandium family | beryllium family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 5 | period 3 |
| Block in Periodic Table | d -block | s -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Kr] 4d1 5s2 | [Ne] 3s2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 9, 2 | 2, 8, 2 |
| Melting Point | 1799 K | 923 K |
| Boiling Point | 3618 K | 1363 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7440-65-5 | CAS7439-95-4 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Yttrium | Neighborhood Elements of Magnesium |
History
| Parameter | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| History | The element Yttrium was discovered by J. Gadolin in year 1794 in Finland. Yttrium derived its name from Ytterby, Sweden. | The element Magnesium was discovered by J. Black in year 1755 in United Kingdom. Magnesium derived its name from Magnesia, a district of Eastern Thessaly in Greece. |
| Discovery | J. Gadolin (1794) | J. Black (1755) |
| Isolated | G. Mosander (1842) | H. Davy (1808) |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 7 / 0.1 | 600000 / 30000 |
| Abundance in Sun | 10 / 0.1 | 700000 / 30000 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 1900 / 430 | 120000000 / 100000000 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 29000 / 6700 | 29000000 / 25000000 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 0.013 / 0.0009 | 1326000 / 337000 |
| Abundance in Humans | - / - | 270000 / 70000 |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 19.881 cm3/mol | 13.984 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 212 pm | 145 pm |
| Covalent Radius | 162 pm | 130 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | - | 173 pm |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum | ![]() | ![]() |
| Absorption Spectrum | ![]() | ![]() |
| Lattice Constant | 364.74, 364.74, 573.06 pm | 320.94, 320.94, 521.08 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 | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 39 | 12 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 39 | 12 |
| Number of Protons | 39 | 12 |
| Mass Number | 88.90585 | 24.305 |
| Number of Neutrons | 50 | 12 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 9, 2 | 2, 8, 2 |
| Electron Configuration | [Kr] 4d1 5s2 | [Ne] 3s2 |
| Valence Electrons | 4d1 5s2 | 3s2 |
| Oxidation State | 3 | 2 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 2D3/2 | 1S0 |
| Shell structure | ![]() | ![]() |
Isotopes and Nuclear Properties
Yttrium has 1 stable naturally occuring isotopes while Magnesium has 3 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| Known Isotopes | 76Y, 77Y, 78Y, 79Y, 80Y, 81Y, 82Y, 83Y, 84Y, 85Y, 86Y, 87Y, 88Y, 89Y, 90Y, 91Y, 92Y, 93Y, 94Y, 95Y, 96Y, 97Y, 98Y, 99Y, 100Y, 101Y, 102Y, 103Y, 104Y, 105Y, 106Y, 107Y, 108Y | 19Mg, 20Mg, 21Mg, 22Mg, 23Mg, 24Mg, 25Mg, 26Mg, 27Mg, 28Mg, 29Mg, 30Mg, 31Mg, 32Mg, 33Mg, 34Mg, 35Mg, 36Mg, 37Mg, 38Mg, 39Mg, 40Mg |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 89Y | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 24Mg, 25Mg, 26Mg |
| Neutron Cross Section | 1.28 | 0.063 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.0006 | 0.0001 |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 3 | 2 |
| Electronegativity | 1.22 Pauling Scale | 1.31 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | 3 | 2 |
| Electron Affinity | 29.6 kJ/mol | 0 kJ/mol |
| Ionization Energies | 1st: 600 kJ/mol 2nd: 1180 kJ/mol 3rd: 1980 kJ/mol 4th: 5847 kJ/mol 5th: 7430 kJ/mol 6th: 8970 kJ/mol 7th: 11190 kJ/mol 8th: 12450 kJ/mol 9th: 14110 kJ/mol 10th: 18400 kJ/mol 11th: 19900 kJ/mol 12th: 36090 kJ/mol | 1st: 737.7 kJ/mol 2nd: 1450.7 kJ/mol 3rd: 7732.7 kJ/mol 4th: 10542.5 kJ/mol 5th: 13630 kJ/mol 6th: 18020 kJ/mol 7th: 21711 kJ/mol 8th: 25661 kJ/mol 9th: 31653 kJ/mol 10th: 35458 kJ/mol 11th: 169988 kJ/mol 12th: 189368 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Magnesium (1.738 g/cm³) is less dense than Yttrium (4.472 g/cm³). This means that a given volume of Yttrium will be heavier than the same volume of Magnesium. Yttrium is about 157.29999999999998 denser than Magnesium
| Property | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Silver | Silver |
| Density | 4.472 g/cm3 | 1.738 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | 4.24 g/cm3 | 1.584 g/cm3 |
| Molar Volume | 19.881 cm3/mol | 13.984 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | 64 | 45 |
| Shear Modulus | 26 GPa | 17 GPa |
| Bulk Modulus | 41 GPa | 45 GPa |
| Poisson Ratio | 0.24 | 0.29 |
Hardness - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element | ||
| Mohs Hardness | - | 2.5 MPa |
| Vickers Hardness | - | - |
| Brinell Hardness | 589 MPa | 260 MPa |
Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
| Property | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 17 W/(m K) | 160 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.0000106 /K | 0.0000082 /K |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 1800000 S/m | 23000000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 5.59e-7 m Ω | 4.4e-8 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | 1.3 | - |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Paramagnetic | Paramagnetic |
| Curie Point | - | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | 6.66e-8 m3/kg | 6.9e-9 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | 5.921e-9 m3/mol | 1.68e-10 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | 0.0002978 | 0.000012 |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | - | - |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | 3300 m/s | 4602 m/s |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 1799 K | 923 K |
| Boiling Point | 3618 K | 1363 K |
| Critical Temperature | - | - |
| Superconducting Point | 1.3 | - |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 11.4 kJ/mol | 8.7 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 380 kJ/mol | 128 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - | -668 J/(kg K) |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Yttrium | Magnesium |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7440-65-5 | CAS7439-95-4 |
| RTECS Number | RTECSZG2980000 | - |
| DOT Hazard Class | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| DOT Numbers | 3089 | {1869,1418} |
| EU Number | - | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | 2 | 1 |
| NFPA Health Rating | - | 0 |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | - | 1 |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | - | 472 °C |
| Flashpoint | - | 500 °C |
Compare Yttrium and Magnesium With Other Elements
Compare Yttrium and Magnesium with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howYttrium and Magnesium 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.








