Name Any Compound! Your Guide to Chemical Nomenclature

[@CameronChristovich]

WOW! now this is what im talking about. this was a fantastic video this made me very happy. thank you so much please make more and dont stop. ever. dont. see ya later!

[@dangthatscool1]

So glad this helped you!

[@juliahoffman6205]

I do happen to know some stuff about the chemistry of the inner transition metals! (Though take everything I say with a grain of salt; I'm a engineering student with nothing better to do on a Saturday night/Sunday morning, not a chemist.) The interesting thing about the first row of the f-block, often called the lanthanides (and called the lanthanoids by the IUPAC and nobody else) is that they all are chemically very similar. Lanthanum (element 57) fills its 6s orbital and puts one electron into its 5d, making it chemically similar to elements like scandium or yttrium, mostly forming trivalent (3+) ions. After lanthanum however, cerium puts an electron into its 4f block, and praseodymium through lutetium follow suit (there is some weirdness regarding if any electrons get put into the d orbitals, but it doesn't seem to affect much). The electrons in the f orbitals are so far down in energy compared to the s, d and eventually p electrons that they basically never participate in bonding, meaning that the lanthanides are very similar in chemistry. This is why they are sometimes known as the rare earths: they used to be very hard to get, not because it was hard to find them, but because it was hard to separate them from each other. However, when it comes to properties the depend on all electrons, not just the outermost, (magnetic properties, photoluminescence) they are wildly diverse. Some make great magnets (neodymium, samarium). Some make good phosphors (europium), some make good lasers (erbium). Some have like 6 very small scale uses and no big ones (gadolinium). But while they're all pretty cool, their chemistry isn't fairly unique. The actinides (or as the International Union of Pure and Applied Pedants calls them, the actinoids) are similar, but because they are bigger, they tend to more readily for a diverse array of oxidation states (large elements hold onto their electrons much less tightly, and so tend to be less picky about forming the ions they're supposed to based on their group). Also, they are more varied in which electrons go into the d versus the f orbitals, so some, like thorium, behave more like standard transition metals (Th forms 4+ ions, as it has 2 7s electrons and 2 6d ones). However, like the lanthanides, their chemistry is often overshadowed; every single one of the actinides is radioactive, and some are quite (in)famous for it. Both uranium and plutonium are actinides. Several actinides have uses as radioactive sources, including the obvious, but also americium to make alpha particles for smoke detectors and californium for its neutron emission, used in a few niche applications (making it the last element with a commercial use). Thorium oxide also has uses outside its radioactivity as a high temperature material, including in camping lantern mantels and welding rods. This devolved a little bit into "fun facts about the inner transition metals", but the gist of it is that the lanthanides tend to be +3 ions, the actinides are fairly flexible and a bit varied, and all of them are cool for properties other than their chemistry.

[@charliebosnyak4897]

That's a lot of words

[@juliahoffman6205]

What else am I gonna do with all these facts I know other than tell every person I can make listen?

[@dangthatscool1]

@@juliahoffman6205 I'm here for it. :D

[@zigastravs9764]

how about you attract some bitches

[@Okebraids]

You are the best ❤❤❤❤❤❤. You just made this easy for me . Thank you

[@tamernicola2559]

Very helpful!

[@gabrielfradz4285]

Thank youuuu!!!!!

[@KENNETHUDUT]

i like your flow for nomenclature. i had a lot of trouble in other explanations but yours 'clicked'

[@dangthatscool1]

I'm glad you found it helpful! If you continue to practice, before long it will be second nature.