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Research draft

thulium

vr.tr.thulium · PHY.MAT

Let an agent identify thulium and its properties, relay isotopes, occurrence and uses from reference sources, and distinguish it from neighbouring lanthanides.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent identify thulium and its properties, relay isotopes, occurrence and uses from reference sources, and distinguish it from neighbouring lanthanides.

A chemical element with symbol Tm and atomic number 69, a silvery lanthanide metal and the second rarest of the rare earth elements; thulium occurs in monazite and other minerals, has one stable isotope, thulium-169, and is used in portable X-ray sources through its isotope thulium-170, in solid-state lasers and in some superconductors.

What it is for: Portable X-ray sources, lasers and research uses.

It can be relay properties and isotopes; explain occurrence and extraction; relay uses; distinguish from other lanthanides.

Distinguishing features

Second rarest lanthanide

Single stable isotope Tm-169

Tm-170 as X-ray source

Trivalent chemistry with blue-green luminescence

What it looks like

A soft, silvery-grey metal that tarnishes slowly in air.

Physical character

atomic number: 69 Z

standard atomic weight: 168.934 u

melting point: 1545 degrees C

density: 9.32 g/cm3

How it is recognised

Element 69, symbol Tm

Lanthanide with one stable isotope

Neighbouring erbium and ytterbium have similar chemistry

Related models

is a kind of - the series

lanthanide

is a kind of - in general terms

rare earth element

is adjacent to - element 68

erbium

is adjacent to - element 70

ytterbium

In practice

Families and kinds

thulium metal and alloys

thulium compounds such as the oxide and halides

isotopes from thulium-144 to thulium-183, with Tm-169 stable and Tm-170 and Tm-171 of practical use

thulium-doped laser and fibre materials

Identifiers

symbol Tm

CAS 7440-30-4

Standards and regulation

Radiation safety rules for thulium-170 sources

Rare earth trade and export controls

Chemical safety data sheets

Failure modes and hazards

Radiation from activated isotopes

Dust flammability of fine metal

Supply concentration in few countries

Also called

thulium-169thulium-170thulium-171thulium-172thulium-173thulium-174thulium-175thulium-176thulium-177thulium-178thulium-179thulium-145thulium-146thulium-146mthulium-147thulium-147mthulium-148thulium-148mthulium-149thulium-150thulium-150m1thulium-150m2thulium-151thulium-151m1thulium-151m2thulium-152thulium-152m1thulium-152m2thulium-153thulium-153mthulium-154thulium-154mthulium-155thulium-155mthulium-156thulium-156mthulium-157thulium-158thulium-158mthulium-159

+24

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Also registered as vr.tr.thulium

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Identify What thulium is.

Identity.

Properties

Properties.

Properties

Properties.

  1. What are the physical and chemical properties of thulium? definition
  2. Is the question about thulium or a neighbouring lanthanide? boundary

Isotopes

Isotopes.

Isotopes

Isotopes.

  1. Which isotopes exist, and which are stable or useful? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific isotope? action
Source Occurrence and production.

Supply.

Occurrence

Occurrence.

Occurrence

Occurrence.

  1. Where does thulium occur, and how is it separated from other rare earths? provenance
  2. Which entry fits rare earth mining? action

Supply

Supply.

Supply

Supply.

  1. Who produces thulium, and how scarce is it, with sources? measurement
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
Use Uses.

Application.

X-ray

X-ray sources.

Xray

Xray.

  1. How is thulium-170 used in portable X-ray sources, and what safety rules apply? provenance
  2. Which entry fits radiography? action

Lasers

Lasers and materials.

Lasers

Lasers.

  1. How is thulium used in lasers, fibres and superconductors? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance
Context History.

Context.

Discovery

Discovery.

Discovery

Discovery.

  1. How was thulium discovered by Cleve in 1879, and how was it named? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the history of the rare earths? action

Teach

Teaching.

Teach

Teaching.

  1. How is thulium presented in teaching the lanthanides? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the periodic table? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should isotopes be separate entries?
  • How should reference data be linked?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases naming isotopes; should they be split off?