Ytterbium (new video) - Periodic Table of Videos

A new video about the element Ytterbium.
More links and info in full description ↓↓↓
Videos on all 118 elements: bit.ly/118elements
With thanks to the Fondation H. Dudley Wright - www.hdwright.org
And our thanks to Anthony Lipmann for the piece of Ytterbium.
Video from Ytterby: • Ytterby Mine (source o...
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From the School of Chemistry at The University of Nottingham: bit.ly/NottChem
This episode was also generously supported by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation
Periodic Videos films are by video journalist Brady Haran: www.bradyharan.com/
Brady's Blog: www.bradyharanblog.com
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[@sonderanderson1312]

Neil sniffing the ammonium hydroxide to check if it’s still alright to use is the most Neil thing to do 🤣🤣🤣

[@MicraHakkinen]

That's how a coworker landed himself in the hospital. We were clearing out some old bottles from a seldomky used workshop and came across a large brown glass bottle. Instead of carefully smelling the cap, he proceeded to forcefully inhale with his nose right up to the bottle: it contained ammonia.

[@Kycilak]

@@MicraHakkinen My colleague once wanted to flush ammonia solution from a burette after a titration with is breath. Well... One has to breath in before one can breath out and he inhaled with the burette already at his lips. Thankfully it had no effect on his health. Don't blow into burettes, wait just a little for the reagent to trickle out itself.

[@kenmohler4081]

@@Kycilak This only slightly related, but you made me remember an event from my long past. I was a little kid getting his tonsils out and they were using ether as the anesthetic. I told you it was a long time ago. I was struggling with the mask so the anesthesiologist said, “Don’t you like that smell? Just blow it away as hard as you can.” I did. What is the next thing you do after you have blown all the air out of your lungs? Right.

[@darwinenthusiast3039]

As a fellow Neil, I can confirm I would do the same.

[@brandonwinstead7137]

That Hauksbee Medal didn't earn itself

[@jippijip101]

I study ytterbium for my PhD! It’s a great element and quite important in quantum computing

[@snehankekre8747]

Link us to your thesis when you publish? :D

[@billynomates920]

@Memes shorts you can't be an expert on everything, mate. i'd be out of a job for one... ;-)

[@PabloHassan68]

an ion a day keeps the doctor away!

[@casperthedumbassghost7164]

Wait I'm curious! Could you share more??

[@DeconvertedMan]

amazing! :D

[@snehankekre8747]

I'm so grateful these videos will be accessible to all future generations. Truly a service for humanity

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

If you solve this problem you can be a billionaire 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]💖

[@sammarks9146]

Ytterbium has a special place in my heart - I did a report on it in high school (20+ years ago), because it was the 'most random' element I could think of. I had no idea it could be so lively!

[@deoxyplasmic]

You're like a Carl Sagan of Chemistry. You seem so down to earth, but your excitement for chemistry and the way you present your exploration makes me excited to learn about chemistry, and explore it with you.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

If you solve this problem you can be a billionaire 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]💖

[@STEVE_C_1369]

Whats great about ytterbium is its gaining use in semiconductor arena. Its also being used to replace other,very toxic substances,while its self,is very low in toxicity.

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

If you solve this problem you can be a billionaire 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]💖

[@STEVE_C_1369]

@@VeganSemihCyprus33 🖕

[@Trench777]

I'm SO grateful to see Sir Martyn looks healthy and still going strong. He is a treasure and I hope for him to enjoy many, many more years.

[@xl000]

he is just 75 years old. That's not close to end of life in the UK. It's 80 years for men, 84 for women, but it's an average. Ther is a death peak however at age 87.

[@PsRohrbaugh]

I could listen to the Professor talk for hours. Every video is a blessing!

[@VeganSemihCyprus33]

If you solve this problem you can be a billionaire 👉The Connections (2021) [short documentary]💖

[@xifel72]

Ytterby can be translated to Outer Village. "Ytter" = Outer. "By" = Village

[@Olhado256]

So the element is really Outervillageium!

[@alexpotts6520]

It's interesting, the "-by" suffix seems to have crossed the North Sea (possibly with the Vikings?) and appears in the names of British places too: Derby, Grimsby, Whitby, Rugby etc. In fact two of those four are towns on the east coast of Britain, which makes the Viking theory even more plausible.

[@beeble2003]

@@alexpotts6520 I'm not sure why you describe it as a theory -- it's a well-established fact.

[@pattheplanter]

There is an Utterby in Lincolnshire, though the Oxford Dictionary of Place-names explains it as "Utterby Lincs. Uthterby 1150-60. Probably ‘farmstead or village of a man called Ūhtrēd or Ūhthere’." They do have: Idrigill Highland. (Skye). ‘Outer gully’. OScand. ytri + gil. But they think the ytri in Itteringham Norfolk was a person. Utrincham 1086 (db). Probably ‘homestead of the family or followers of a man called *Ytra or *Ytri’. OE pers. name + -inga- + hām.

[@gwen6622]

outervillagium, and the other elements outrium, villagium, and lagium (which is basically how ytterbium, yttrium, terbium, and erbium are named lol)

[@PeteSmithPhD]

Ytterbium has a quasi-stable +2 oxidation state that can persist in water in the presence of a strong reducing agent like ytterbium metal. The Yb(II) ion is light green in aqueous solution. I think that is why the solution was light green when you were showing the metal dissolving in hydrochloric acid. The Yb(III) was being reduced by the Yb(s) to form Yb(II).

[@brainandforce]

With the right acid, you can make it persist for longer (I've found sulfamic acid does a decent job at stabilizing Yb(II) ions for long periods of time)

[@chilou23]

Merci au professeur et son équipe! J’ai bien aimé l’entendre parler français. Longue vie à lui.

[@patrickmarmorat1126]

Moi aussi et je le trouve très sympathique ! et toujours la cravate avec le tableau périodique !,

[@plextoob]

In my experience with colour from combustion, heat can destroy the ions needed to get strong colour. We'd often mix in a buffer to try and reduce the reaction temp to extract more colour. Perhaps the PTFE does the same - the PTFE burns first in the flame and provides a cooling effect to preserve the ions responsible for the colour?

[@Jeffrey_Tyler]

The professor is a national treasure. A WORLD treasure even. A treasure of humanity. I don't know if he has one of those educational knighthood medals from the Queen but he really deserves one ❤

[@thekaxmax]

He does have that knighthood, he did a video on it. ;)

[@ferretyluv]

He does

[@mrbullseye]

Erbium, Terbium, Yttrium, Ytterbium and if I'm not mistaken, Scandium (?), maybe also Holmium (even bigger ?), were all found in this mine. Quite cool but of course the isolation of them and their discoveries go out to the amazing chemists from all over the world who put in the hours.

[@davidgillies620]

I don't know if PTFE is used in fireworks but I do know it is used in certain types of anti-missile decoy flares for military aircraft, as when combined with a metal powder such as magnesium it generates a lot of infrared.

[@connieembury1]

What a delightful surprise! First thing this morning a new Periodic video! I've been binge watching the periodic videos and just passed Ytterbium the day before. Thank you Professor, Neil and Brady for a lovely start to the day.

[@kidmohair8151]

you folks are continuing to have fun while providing education for the rest of us. thanks y'all!

[@coldloyalty]

Its sad that people my age.. my peers see this, and feel bored.. i personally would give my toe to study chemistry in this way.. i find it incredible that you provide this knowledge to youtube.. Godspeed

[@parksto]

Sir Poliakoff always succeed to make me smile. In his mouth, every story is wonder

[@vylrent]

You guys are somehow still pumping out these videos after a solid 10+ years, and remaking them! Pretty cool.

[@realdevbro447]

Yeah. Totally agree.

[@stefanhurtig7956]

Many metals need a halogen donor to really bring out the flame color; in pyrotechnics, chlorine is usually used, though fluorine can also be found in some compositions. The exact compounds that form or the mechanism by which they enhance the color is to my knowledge little understood. It may be due to "forbidden" molecules that can only exist temporarily within the extreme conditions of the flame due to excitation or ionization. Maybe you guys could make a video about it.

[@pattheplanter]

I assumed the halogens just made the element more volatile by forming halides, so more entered the flame to get excited. The lumps of metal mostly combust with such a bright spark that they drown out the colour of the few ions that escape into the flame. Flame tests usually use ionic compounds of the metals rather than the elemental metals.

[@mikestewart4752]

Whatever I’m watching, I immediately drop it to watch these videos when one is released. Thanks Grady, and thanks Professor!!! ☮️ & ❤ from 🇨🇦

[@turpialito]

Great to see the Professor again. Thanks, Brady. Your channels are veritable gems!

[@radders261]

I'm always super chuffed when a new video pops up!

[@wootman3125]

its always amazing to me when you hear about chemist in history before all the modern microscopes and testing methods , accurately guessing the atomic mass size etc etc. and being only off by a few numbers, shows how talented and smart they really were

[@bedlaskybedla6361]

Very nice experiments! I especially like Yb+PTFE green sparks, ytterbium chromate and unstable yellow Yb2+, which is formed during dissolving ytterbium in HCl (but it is quickly oxidized by oxygen and water to colourless Yb3+).

[@toine512fr]

I love it when the Professor and Neil are surprised!

[@ZoonCrypticon]

One of the best professors I know of! I would like to study chemistry in Nottingham under his supervision.

[@rayoflight62]

It is always a pleasure to watch the Periodic videos! Thank you Professor and team for this video essay on ytterbium. Greetings, Anthony

[@richross4781]

Been waiting for a different video. Thanks folks.

[@theponk1]

Dear Sir I rank you as one of the worlds greatest educators. It’s a toss up for first place between you and Johnny ball but you’ve got the ‘fro dude😂 Big love

[@DaHoodedBandit]

I love the professor, cherish him while we can

[@ezekielbrockmann114]

It's so cool y'all still making these videos, really. Thank you!

[@Bloated_Tony_Danza]

I once rolled ytterbium into foil, and once alloyed ytterbium with bismuth. It's a very easy metal to shape and form, doesn't corrode as fast as other lanthanides too. I like ytterbium

[@38bass]

Thanks for another exciting video. 😊 The music at the end was quite beautiful. ❤

[@calderarecords]

Your point at 11:06 really resonated with me on a profound level, Professor. 😔 *"The true mark of a Scientist is having no allegiances to any one nation or doctrine, but to the earth and all the lifeforms on it. This is a Scientist - to me"* _Jacque Fresco, 1916-2017, Founder of the proposed Global Systems Approach, The Venus Project, Resource-Based Economy_

[@andie_pants]

Watching your computer equipment change through the ages has been such a delight. 🥰

[@davillanueva1]

Hearing a professor say 'Jazz it up' made my day

[@Thoran666]

Interesting and a lot of fun to watch. Thanks for another great periodic table video.

[@williammorris1763]

Same idea behind ASML UV lithography using tin. 🔥 Great video! 🙌❤️

[@bentationfunkiloglio]

Always a pleasant surprise when a new video is released.

[@Physicus9]

Hey! I like that Pyraminx you have on the desk (bottom right corner when the camera is on the Professor)

[@amundbjerve]

I studied Ytterbium (among other elements/isotopes) during my master's degree (a degree called Cand. Scient. in Norway at the time). Not as a chemist, but as a nuclear physicist. (I have no knowledge about the chemical properties of this element). The nuclei of these rare earth elements have fairly evenly spaced energy levels. This means that the energy shells are not very pronounced, and by targeting the nuclei with light isotopes like 3He and 4He nuclei, one can excite the Yb nuclei and "heat" them up. It turns out that you get some sort of phase transitions in the nuclei. Since there are only 170-something particles in Yb, talking about temperatures may not be entirely correct (strictly speaking, you need infinitely many particles to have a temperature, but any macroscopic object will suffice). Apart from that, the temperatures (or "temperature-like" parameter if you like) in question are several billion degrees (if my memory is correct; this was back in the late 90s).

[@pystl]

Great video! Dr Poliakoff (and Neil, literally) was on 🔥!!

[@civilizationkills3138]

Sp happy to see you back!❤️

[@vinkuu]

Neil seems to be a super villain level authority on what to do and not do in the lab. I like him. Maybe tell us more about his background?

[@stud7463]

Wishing great health to our Professor.

[@ShadowPuppet3001]

great video, I like the periodic table and the science stuff behind it 👍 😊🎉

[@vincdem01]

Thank you so much for what you are so amazingly do!

[@DumbSkippy]

Thank you for making Chemistry interesting!

[@wjodf8067]

Happy day when a new video pops up from THE Professor and his merry band of assistants Thank you for all the hard work filing the metal Neil

[@joshuahettinger9287]

loved the anecdote about marignac's science dungeon

[@gabysuazo7942]

I love watching and hearing Professor Chaos.

[@scrotiemcboogerballs1981]

Always a great video thank you for sharing

[@amciuam157]

Professor, your haircut is great. I wish to have so much knowledge in my head, to turn the hair; I still have, white colour like this. Ytterbium was also interesting.

[@luccablois1038]

Very Nice video, but I think that an awsome property of Ytterbium ions that is the capability of doing photon upconversion should be addressed, since it is a hot topic on the research of rare earth-based materials

[@jansenart0]

All elements are exciting.

[@charstringetje]

From flambéing pancakes with powdered sugar, in my experience it's most spectacular if you use fine powder and a tea sieve above the flame to prevent lumping. I thing instead of a file, a whetstone would yield finer filings. Or should we call these filings "stonings"? 🤔

[@drrocketman7794]

Omg that's wild! The colors are amazing!

[@REXOB9]

I measured isotope shifts in Ytterbium (and Dysprosium and Erbium) in my professor's lab many years ago.

[@michaelwright2986]

"really nice sparks and colours, and some quite nice salts as well." "Like it." (0:53) I really admire the detached scientific tone of this series.

[@a64738]

It is a great day every time there is a new "Periodic Table of Videos" ;)

[@biaroca]

I think the most iconic line from this channel is "I persuaded Neil"

[@marcel_max]

Welcome back, you were missed

[@Cavemankind_]

Love you guys! Thanks!

[@johnmiller2689]

Great video! I was wondering if ytterbium forms any interesting amalgams with mercury or alkaline metals? Also, how would it react to chlorosulfonic acid? Thanks!

[@nigeljohnson9820]

It would be interesting to know what experimental method was used to determine the atomic wt?

[@Runner-Boy]

Cody'slab just dropped a video and bow you did crazy

[@DeconvertedMan]

Really awesome as always :)

[@RJRC_105]

"I persuaded Neil..." - the last think you hear before a large explosion.

[@donedwards5301]

Professor; Couldn't you get a similar colour display (not the flashes) by doing a flame loop test on a sample of Ytterbium oxide or Ytterbium Chloride, or another metal salt? Just wondering.

[@NAATHAAN]

Who ever makes a joke about this element deserves an Oscar and a Nobel Prize.

[@jimsvideos7201]

The PTFE reaction was a fun surprise!

[@gamla65]

The sparks look great, but would it be feasible to make a spectral picture/analysis of it ? Or it that to geeky for the channel?

[@DirtyBottomsPottery]

When making glazes and using Rare Earth elements one must be careful with which wavelength of light one uses. The glazes appear different when interacting with different wavelengths of light. I wonder if your experiments could have fluoresced or had a different color response with different light wavelengths.

[@PopeLando]

Rejoice rejoice rejoice! A new Periodic Table of Videos element video!

[@pbacina]

During the burner experiment there are little bright green sparks several centimeters from the burner. Are these real or some sort of internal reflection in the camera lens?

[@ZirconGames]

Good to see you in health professor!

[@pattheplanter]

Does a flame test with the chloride give a bright green?

[@stevengill1736]

You guys get the greatest element samples! Ah yes, PTFE pyrotechnics are used in various military formulations... But mischmetal filings work fine too...

[@pyroadamperisti5161]

Do you think is possible to make the chlorate form of ytturbium by elektrosisys ? Id would give off much more green light i guess ?

[@PackthatcameBack]

"There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten it everywhere."

[@derderrr7220]

i'm curious as to how such things would react in pitch the luminescence of crystaline interaction at specific energy levels i'm curious as to if this element has a pressure reaction say if you hit a small bit with a hammer if it would or a large bit with a punch tool in combo with a hammer blow if it has discernible triboluminescence that is detectable without much hastle. great video!

[@Haplo-san]

I'm still curious how they precisely scaled atomic weights etc. 100-150 years ago.

[@giordy9013]

New element always a great day

[@indicol1942]

After handling the plutonium how do you deal with the cleanup

[@beeble2003]

7:25 "But a lump of metal isn't very useful." Suit yourself but I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

[@JohnAranita]

I have an educational shower curtain. Printed on it is Periodic Table of Elements.

[@mattlogue1300]

Thanks!

[@jamescox3470]

Does anyone know what piece plays in the background of the sponsor highlight at the end?

[@keith1291]

I love this channel

[@aliasname5518]

Your hair looks magnificent!

[@hamoudi_d]

Hi Professor, Ib think many people are waiting desperately for your team to post new videos, also we're missing the other chemistry. Please make an update soon!

[@systemofapwne]

Working with Yb as a physicist my own, the green looked similar, but not the same, as the wavelength of 556 nm, corresponding to the 1S0 -> 3P1 transition. TBH, I would have guessed to see a blueish/uv tint at 399 nm coming from the 1S0 -> 1P1 transition (the strongest one on the groundstate).

[@brainandforce]

The green transition is right at the sweet spot for your eyes' photoreceptors...the near UV transition, not so much.

[@hattielankford4775]

Thank you.

[@Tfin]

Why, if one is to "labour," does one not do so in a "labouratory?"

[@HanzelikR]

Ytterbium is used in fiber laser resonators to generate the laser beam that cuts metals.

[@patrickjordan8373]

Are there any recent toxicology studies in humans for Ytterbium? I gave up looking 20 years ago. I don't know how it is in other countries but the internet in the U.S. acts like it's been lobotomized. My focus is on the triflouride in dentistry used for a radio-opaquing agent. Thanks.

[@jakedee4117]

Next you try alloying ytterbium with some other metals and measuring their mechanical properties for another video.

[@robinbrowne5419]

Lovely sparks and such 👍