What the heck is the "Lanthanide Contraction"? Professor Davis Explains

Professor Davis explains why atoms and ions from lanthanum through lutetium tend to decrease in radius as we move across the group: a phenomenon known as the "Lanthanide Contraction"

[@nabeelansari355]

explained it better than my chemistry teacher. thank you.

[@alinatv123]

amazing explanation, thank you so much for simplifying this concept

[@jonathanljohnson]

This type of counter intuitive phenomenon is why one might hope for an "island of stability" somewhere out beyond our current list of elements.

[@ChemSurvival]

I, too hope we find this island of stability one day, but I'm not holding my breath. The island of stability (if we ever reach it) will probably prove to be one consisting of elements with half-lives of seconds or fractions of seconds in an ocean of isotopes with half-lives so short that they are immeasurable. It was a hopeful concept in its day, and one that fueled great research into the transuranic and the super heavy elements. I'm sure many-a-grant-proposal featured this prospect in the 80's, 90's and even early 21st century. However, I would be surprised if we ever find anything significantly beyond oganesson with a half-life long enough to study. I think we would have made some progress by now. Then again, I'm sure Seaborg and his contemporaries got tired of hearing the same thing about the next element of row seven from people like me again and again..... yet they persevered... so, hope springs anew.

[@SHADOWLEGENDDRAWS]

thx for the explanation dude.

[@arthurvanbilsen3758]

Beautiful graphics!

[@orangeinfotainment620]

thank you mannn

[@ChemSurvival]

My pleasure. Glad you liked the video.

[@princessnae1889]

Omg thank you so much😭🙏

[@kisho2679]

What are the properties of Lanthanides, e.g. supraconductivity, isolation, magnetic, spin, etc. ... ?

[@saiaditya4787]

nitaigaur

[@ChemSurvival]

XieXie pengyou (sorry... don't know how to do intonations on a cell phone!)