Neodymium | Chemistry

Mason High School, Mason, Ohio, USA

Neodymium, 60, Mason High School, Ohio USA

Neodymium: The background is light gray to fill the tile with the element’s appearance, silver with a metallic lustre. The biohazard symbol is centered to establish the strength and instability of neodymium due to its radioactivity. In nature, neodymium is often found in a gold-colored, crystalline mineral, monazite. One of the uses is for coloring glass blue or purple; therefore, a lavender glass is placed upon a table. The spectacles were worn by Carl Auer von Welsbach, who discovered neodymium in 1885. Lastly, the biohazard symbol is a flame to represent the most common use, in flint for lighting fires. I used acrylic paint on canvas.

Artwork by Katie Schussheim. Teacher: Karen Young, Mason High School, Mason, Ohio, USA

Atomic properties*

Name:

Neodymium

Symbol:

Nd

Atomic number:

60

Atomic mass:

144.24 amu

Melting point:

1016°C

Boiling point:

3074°C

Density:

7.01 g/cm³

Electronegativity:

1.14

# of Isotopes:

7

State:

Solid

Colour:

Bright-silvery-metallic

Classification:

Metallic**

* Haynes, W. M. (2011). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 91st edition: http://www.hbcponline.com/ Retrieved April 7, 2011

** Winter, M. (2010). Home of the Periodic Table. Retrieved April 8, 2011, from Web Elements: http://www.webelements.com/