Lanthanum

Atomic Number: 57
Symbol: La
Atomic Mass: 138.91 u
Number of Neutrons: 82
Melting Point: 920°C
Boiling Point: 3464°C
Electrons per shell: 2.8.18.18.9.2
Electron configuration: [Xe] 5d¹ 6s²

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Lanthanum is the 57th element in the periodic table and is part of the lanthanide series. It is a soft, malleable silvery-white metal that tarnishes slowly when exposed to air. It is soft enough to be cut through with a knife. Lanthanum is a rare element like the many other elements in it's group. This element is used in projector lights and it is 25% of Misch metal, the metal that is used to make flints for lighters. It is also often used in alloys. Lanthanum is mined in the earths crust in places such as the USA, China, Russia, Australia, and India. It is obtained from lanthanum-rich monazite and bastnasite. Lanthanum was discovered by Carl Gustaf Mosander, a Swedish chemist, in 1839. Mosander was searching an ore for samples of cerium but then found a new element.

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