Cerium

Symbol: Ce
Atomic number: 58
Category: lanthanides
Group: n/a
Period: 6
Block: f
Atomic weight: 140.116 g/mol
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 19, 9, 2
CAS number: 7440-45-1
Phase: solid
Density: 6.770 kg/dm³ (near room temperature)
Melting point: 1068 K (795 °C, 1463 °F)
Boiling point: 3716 K (3443 °C, 6229 °F)
Crystal structure: face-centered cubic
Oxidation states: 3, 4
Electronegativity: 1.12 (Pauling scale)
Name's origin: Ceres
Name's meaning: the name of a dwarf planet which was discovered two years earlier than the element
Facts:
- is a silvery metal
- resembles iron in color and luster, but is soft, and both malleable and ductile
- has the longest liquid range of any non-radioactive element
- oxidizes very readily at room temperature, especially in moist air
- is likely to ignite if scratched
- is never found in nature as the free element
- is most often prepared via an ion exchange process that uses monazite sands as its cerium source
- is used in making aluminium alloys, in carbon-arc lighting, in alloys that are used to make permanent magnets