What is Yttrium?
Yttrium is a metallic chemical element which is often found in compounds with the rare earth metals. Subsequently, it is often grouped with these metals even though this classification is technically incorrect. There are a number of uses for yttrium, primarily in the form of alloys which are used in a wide variety of products from television screens to lamps. Most people are never exposed to pure yttrium, since the element is reactive enough that it almost always appears in the form of a compound. The element is named for Ytterby, a Swedish town. The pure form of the element is silvery and highly crystalline in structure, and it combines readily with a number of other elements. It is identified by the atomic number 39 on the periodic table of elements, along with the symbol Y. In some cases, such as when it becomes oxidized, yttrium may acquire a reddish to pink tinge, and it is formally classified among the transition metals of the periodic table. The element was first discovered in 1
