Dy Dysprosium
Element Information, Facts, Properties, Trends, Uses, Comparison with other elements

Dysprosium is a chemical element with the symbol Dy and atomic number 66. It is a rare earth element with a metallic silver luster. Dysprosium is never found in nature as a free element, though it is found in various minerals, such as xenotime.
It belongs to group of the periodic table having trivial name .
Dysprosium Facts
Read key information and facts about element Dysprosium
Name | Dysprosium |
Atomic Number | 66 |
Atomic Symbol | Dy |
Atomic Weight | 162.5 |
Phase | Solid |
Color | Silver |
Appearance | silvery white |
Classification | Lanthanide |
Group in Periodic Table | - |
Group Name | |
Period in Periodic Table | period 6 |
Block in Periodic Table | f -block |
Electronic Configuration | [Xe] 4f10 6s2 |
Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 28, 8, 2 |
Melting Point | 1685 K |
Boiling Point | 2840 K |
CAS Number | CAS7429-91-6 |
How to Locate Dysprosium on Periodic Table
Periodic table is arranged by atomic number, number of protons in the nucleus which is same as number of electrons. The atomic number increases from left to right. Periodic table starts at top left ( Atomic number 1) and ends at bottom right (atomic number 118). Therefore you can directly look for atomic number 66 to find Dysprosium on periodic table.
Another way to read periodic table and locate an element is by using group number (column) and period number (row). To locate Dysprosium on periodic table look for cross section of group - and period 6 in the modern periodic table.
Dysprosium History
The element Dysprosium was discovered by P.E.L. de Boisbaudran in year 1886 in France. Dysprosium was first isolated by in . Dysprosium derived its name from the Greek dysprositos, meaning 'hard to get'.
De Boisbaudran found a new earth in erbia.
Dysprosium Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
The table below shows the abundance of Dysprosium in Universe, Sun, Meteorites, Earth's Crust, Oceans and Human Body.
ppb by weight (1ppb =10^-7 %) | ppb by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %) | |
---|---|---|
Abundance in Universe | 2 | 0.02 |
Abundance in Sun | 2 | 0.01 |
Abundance in Meteorites | 280 | 30 |
Abundance in Earth's Crust | 6200 | 790 |
Abundance in Oceans | 0.00091 | 0.000035 |
Abundance in Humans | - | - |
Crystal Structure of Dysprosium
The solid state structure of Dysprosium is Simple Hexagonal.
The Crystal structure can be described in terms of its unit Cell. The unit Cells repeats itself in three dimensional space to form the structure.
Unit Cell Parameters
The unit cell is represented in terms of its lattice parameters, which are the lengths of the cell edges Lattice Constants (a, b and c)
a | b | c |
---|---|---|
359.3 pm | 359.3 pm | 565.37 pm |
and the angles between them Lattice Angles (alpha, beta and gamma).
alpha | beta | gamma |
---|---|---|
π/2 | π/2 | 2 π/3 |
The positions of the atoms inside the unit cell are described by the set of atomic positions ( xi, yi, zi) measured from a reference lattice point.
The symmetry properties of the crystal are described by the concept of space groups. All possible symmetric arrangements of particles in three-dimensional space are described by the 230 space groups (219 distinct types, or 230 if chiral copies are considered distinct.
Space Group Name | P63/mmc | ![]() |
Oxidation States | Space Group Number | 194 |
Crystal Structure | Simple Hexagonal |
Dysprosium Atomic and Orbital Properties
Dysprosium atoms have 66 electrons and the electronic shell structure is [2, 8, 18, 28, 8, 2] with Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) 5I8.
Atomic Number | 66 |
Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 66 |
Number of Protons | 66 |
Mass Number | 163 |
Number of Neutrons | 97 |
Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 28, 8, 2 |
Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f10 6s2 |
Valence Electrons | 4f10 6s2 |
Valence (Valency) | 3 |
Main Oxidation States | 3 |
Oxidation States | 0, 2, 3, 4 |
Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 5I8 |
Bohr Atomic Model of Dysprosium - Electrons per energy level

n | s | p | d | f |
---|
Ground State Electronic Configuration of Dysprosium - neutral Dysprosium atom
Abbreviated electronic configuration of Dysprosium
The ground state abbreviated electronic configuration of Neutral Dysprosium atom is [Xe] 4f10 6s2. The portion of Dysprosium configuration that is equivalent to the noble gas of the preceding period, is abbreviated as [Xe]. For atoms with many electrons, this notation can become lengthy and so an abbreviated notation is used. This is important as it is the Valence electrons 4f10 6s2, electrons in the outermost shell that determine the chemical properties of the element.
Unabbreviated electronic configuration of neutral Dysprosium
Complete ground state electronic configuration for the Dysprosium atom, Unabbreviated electronic configuration
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 4f10 6s2
Electrons are filled in atomic orbitals as per the order determined by the Aufbau principle, Pauli Exclusion Principle and Hund’s Rule.

Atomic Structure of Dysprosium
Dysprosium atomic radius is 228 pm, while it's covalent radius is - .
Atomic Radius Calculated | 228 pm (2.28 Å) |
Atomic Radius Empirical | 175 pm (1.75 Å) |
Atomic Volume | 19.004 cm3/mol |
Covalent Radius | - |
Van der Waals Radius | - |
Neutron Cross Section | 1010 |
Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.2 |
Atomic Spectrum of Dysprosium
Dysprosium Chemical Properties: Dysprosium Ionization Energies and electron affinity
The electron affinity of Dysprosium is 50 kJ/mol.
Valence | 3 |
Electronegativity | 1.22 |
ElectronAffinity | 50 kJ/mol |
Ionization Energy of Dysprosium
Refer to table below for Ionization energies of Dysprosium
Ionization energy number | Enthalpy - kJ/mol |
---|---|
1st | 573 |
2nd | 1130 |
3rd | 2200 |
4th | 3990 |
Dysprosium Physical Properties
Refer to below table for Dysprosium Physical Properties
Density | 8.551 g/cm3(when liquid at m.p density is $8.37 g/cm3) |
Molar Volume | 19.004 cm3/mol |
Elastic Properties
Young Modulus | 61 |
Shear Modulus | 25 GPa |
Bulk Modulus | 41 GPa |
Poisson Ratio | 0.25 |
Hardness of Dysprosium - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element
Mohs Hardness | - |
Vickers Hardness | 540 MPa |
Brinell Hardness | 500 MPa |
Dysprosium Electrical Properties
Dysprosium is Conductor of electricity. Refer to table below for the Electrical properties ofDysprosium
Electrical Conductivity | 1100000 S/m |
Resistivity | 9.1e-7 m Ω |
Superconducting Point | - |
Dysprosium Heat and Conduction Properties
Thermal Conductivity | 11 W/(m K) |
Thermal Expansion | 0.0000099 /K |
Dysprosium Magnetic Properties
Magnetic Type | Paramagnetic |
Curie Point | 87 K |
Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | 0.00000545 m3/kg |
Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | 8.85625e-7 m3/mol |
Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | 0.046603 |
Optical Properties of Dysprosium
Refractive Index | - |
Acoustic Properties of Dysprosium
Speed of Sound | 2710 m/s |
Dysprosium Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
Refer to table below for Thermal properties of Dysprosium
Melting Point | 1685 K (1411.85°C, 2573.33 °F) |
Boiling Point | 2840 K (2566.85°C, 4652.33 °F) |
Critical Temperature | - |
Superconducting Point | - |
Enthalpies of Dysprosium
Heat of Fusion | 11.1 kJ/mol |
Heat of Vaporization | 280 kJ/mol |
Heat of Combustion | - |
Dysprosium Isotopes - Nuclear Properties of Dysprosium
Dysprosium has 36 isotopes, with between 138 and 173 nucleons. Dysprosium has 7 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
Isotopes of Dysprosium - Naturally occurring stable Isotopes: 156Dy, 158Dy, 160Dy, 161Dy, 162Dy, 163Dy, 164Dy.
Isotope | Z | N | Isotope Mass | % Abundance | T half | Decay Mode |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
138Dy | 66 | 72 | 138 | Synthetic | ||
139Dy | 66 | 73 | 139 | Synthetic | ||
140Dy | 66 | 74 | 140 | Synthetic | ||
141Dy | 66 | 75 | 141 | Synthetic | ||
142Dy | 66 | 76 | 142 | Synthetic | ||
143Dy | 66 | 77 | 143 | Synthetic | ||
144Dy | 66 | 78 | 144 | Synthetic | ||
145Dy | 66 | 79 | 145 | Synthetic | ||
146Dy | 66 | 80 | 146 | Synthetic | ||
147Dy | 66 | 81 | 147 | Synthetic | ||
148Dy | 66 | 82 | 148 | Synthetic | ||
149Dy | 66 | 83 | 149 | Synthetic | ||
150Dy | 66 | 84 | 150 | Synthetic | ||
151Dy | 66 | 85 | 151 | Synthetic | ||
152Dy | 66 | 86 | 152 | Synthetic | ||
153Dy | 66 | 87 | 153 | Synthetic | ||
154Dy | 66 | 88 | 154 | Synthetic | ||
155Dy | 66 | 89 | 155 | Synthetic | ||
156Dy | 66 | 90 | 156 | 0.06% | Stable | N/A |
157Dy | 66 | 91 | 157 | Synthetic | ||
158Dy | 66 | 92 | 158 | 0.1% | Stable | N/A |
159Dy | 66 | 93 | 159 | Synthetic | ||
160Dy | 66 | 94 | 160 | 2.34% | Stable | N/A |
161Dy | 66 | 95 | 161 | 18.91% | Stable | N/A |
162Dy | 66 | 96 | 162 | 25.51% | Stable | N/A |
163Dy | 66 | 97 | 163 | 24.9% | Stable | |
164Dy | 66 | 98 | 164 | 28.18% | Stable | N/A |
165Dy | 66 | 99 | 165 | Synthetic | ||
166Dy | 66 | 100 | 166 | Synthetic | ||
167Dy | 66 | 101 | 167 | Synthetic | ||
168Dy | 66 | 102 | 168 | Synthetic | ||
169Dy | 66 | 103 | 169 | Synthetic | ||
170Dy | 66 | 104 | 170 | Synthetic | ||
171Dy | 66 | 105 | 171 | Synthetic | ||
172Dy | 66 | 106 | 172 | Synthetic | ||
173Dy | 66 | 107 | 173 | Synthetic |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
Database Search
List of unique identifiers to search the element in various chemical registry databases
Database | Identifier number |
---|---|
CAS Number - Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) | CAS7429-91-6 |
RTECS Number | - |
CID Number | CID23912 |
Gmelin Number | - |
NSC Number | - |