Origin / Meaning of the name Samarium
It was named after a Russian mine official called Colonel Samarski.
Periodic Table Group and Classification of the of the Samarium Element
Elements can be classified based on their physical states (States of Matter) e.g. gas, solid or liquid. This element is a solid. Samarium is classified as an element in the Lanthanide series as one of the "Rare Earth Elements" which can located in Group 3 elements of the Periodic Table and in the 6th and 7th periods. The Rare Earth Elements are divided into the Lanthanide and Actinide series. The elements in the Lanthanide series closely resemble lanthanum, and one another, in their chemical and physical properties. Their compounds are used as catalysts in the production of petroleum and synthetic products. Nearly 75% of all the elements in the Periodic Table are classified as metals which are detailed in the List of Metals.
Facts about the Discovery and History of the Samarium Element
Samarium was discovered by Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac in Switzerland in 1853. It was isolated in France in 1879 by the French chemist Paul Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran.
Occurrence of the Samarium Element
Found in monazite and bastnaesite
Abundances of the element in different environments
% in Universe 5×10-7%
% in Sun 1×10-7%
% in Meteorites 0.000017%
% in Earth's Crust 0.0006%
% in Oceans 4.5×10-11%
% in Humans N/A
Associated Uses of Samarium
Carbon-arc lighting
Neutron absorber in nuclear reactors
Optical lasers
Headphones
