From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yttrium is a chemical elemental metal with an atomic number of 39, a chemical symbol of Y, and an atomic weight of 88.905(abridged). It is classified as a transition metal. It is atomic number 39 which means it has 39 protons in an atom. It is silvery-white, solid at room temperature, and tends to form crystals. In chunk form, it is unreactive in air, but powdered yttrium may burn at 400 degrees Celsius. It has several uses, which include lasers, TV's, and metallurgy. It is a transition metal, and along with terbium, erbium, and ytterbium, is one of the four elements to be named after the town of Ytterby in Sweden, all of which are rare earth elements.
