Quick answerNeodymium (Nd) is a lanthanide with atomic number 60 and an atomic mass of 144.24 (2023), in period 6. It was discovered by Carl Auer von Welsbach in 1885. It is used for permanent magnets and headphones and speakers. Its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f4 6s2.
Neodymium makes the strongest permanent magnets known, spinning the motors in headphones, hard drives, and electric cars.
Key facts
| Symbol | Nd |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 60 |
| Atomic mass | 144.24 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | lanthanide |
| Group | — (f-block element, no group number) |
| Period | 6 |
| Block | f-block |
| Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f4 6s2 |
| Discovered | Carl Auer von Welsbach, 1885 |
| Uses | permanent magnets, headphones and speakers, electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, lasers |
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Lanthanum (La) — another lanthanide, atomic number 57
- Cerium (Ce) — another lanthanide, atomic number 58
- Praseodymium (Pr) — another lanthanide, atomic number 59
- Promethium (Pm) — another lanthanide, atomic number 61
- Samarium (Sm) — another lanthanide, atomic number 62
- Europium (Eu) — another lanthanide, atomic number 63
- Gadolinium (Gd) — another lanthanide, atomic number 64
- Terbium (Tb) — another lanthanide, atomic number 65
- Dysprosium (Dy) — another lanthanide, atomic number 66
- Holmium (Ho) — another lanthanide, atomic number 67
- All lanthanide elements — on the periodic table
Sources & last updated
- CIAAW — Standard Atomic Weights
- PubChem Periodic Table
- Wikipedia — Timeline of chemical element discoveries
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.