Element 66 · Dysprosium (Dy)

Dysprosium Bohr model: diagram and electrons per shell

The dysprosium Bohr model shows a dysprosium atom (Dy) as a small nucleus with its electrons circling it in 6 shells: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 28 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P. This page has a rotating 3D dysprosium Bohr model, a flat diagram, a table of the electrons in each shell and the steps to draw it yourself.

Rotate the dysprosium Bohr model in 3D

Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.

This is a Bohr model of dysprosium (Dy), a simplified picture of a single dysprosium atom. Its nucleus holds 66 protons, and a neutral dysprosium atom has 66 electrons, arranged around it in 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 28 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P).

Dy K · 21s² L · 82s² 2p⁶ M · 183s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ N · 284s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁰ O · 85s² 5p⁶ P · 26s²

Dysprosium Bohr model diagram

Bohr model diagram of dysprosium: a nucleus of 66 protons with 66 electrons on 6 shells, 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 28 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P, each ring labelled with its shell letter. — The dysprosium Bohr model drawn flat: each ring is a shell, labelled with its letter, and every dot is an electron (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 28 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P).

Dysprosium electrons per shell

A neutral dysprosium atom has 66 electrons, one for each of its 66 protons. They fill the shells from the nucleus outwards: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 28 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P.

Electrons in each shell of the dysprosium Bohr model
Shell	Shell number (n)	Electrons	Most it can hold (2n²)	Subshells
K	1	2	2	1s²
L	2	8	8	2s² 2p⁶
M	3	18	18	3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰
N	4	28	32	4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁰
O	5	8	50	5s² 5p⁶
P	6	2	72	6s²

How the dysprosium Bohr model builds up, shell by shell

Watch the dysprosium Bohr model come together: the nucleus first, then each shell in turn, from the innermost outwards, with its electrons joining the ring. The legend names every shell and counts its electrons, so you can read off the arrangement (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 28 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P) as it forms.

Animation of the dysprosium Bohr model being built: a nucleus of 66 protons appears first, then each shell grows in around it and takes its electrons, giving 66 electrons on 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 28 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P). — The dysprosium Bohr model built up in six seconds: the nucleus first, then each shell with its electrons, ending with 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 28 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P. Protons are red, neutrons yellow and electrons blue.

How to draw the dysprosium Bohr model

Find the atomic number. Dysprosium has atomic number 66, so a neutral atom has 66 protons and 66 electrons.
Draw the nucleus. Put a circle in the centre and write Dy in it. The 66 protons sit there with the neutrons.
Draw the shells. Sketch 6 shells as rings around the nucleus. A shell holds at most 2n² electrons: 2 in the first, 8 in the second, 18 in the third and 32 in the fourth.
Place the electrons. Fill from the inside out: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 28 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P.
Check the total. 2 + 8 + 18 + 28 + 8 + 2 = 66, the atomic number, so every electron is accounted for.

Atomic data for the dysprosium Bohr model

The numbers behind the dysprosium Bohr model, grouped by topic. Radii are in picometres (pm) and energies in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).

Identity

Symbol: Dy
Atomic number: 66
Atomic mass: 162.5001 u
Family: Lanthanides
Position: period 6 of the f-block
Block: f-block

Electron configuration

Full: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁰
Shorthand: [Xe] 4f¹⁰ 6s²
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 28, 8, 2
Outer-shell electrons: 2 in shell P

Ionisation energies

I₁: 573
I₂: 1130
I₃: 2200
I₄: 3990

Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). A sharp jump means the next electron comes from an inner shell.

Atomic radii

Calculated (pm): 228
Empirical (pm): 175
Covalent (pm): 167

Electronegativity and electron affinity

Electronegativity (Pauling): 1.22
Electron affinity (kJ/mol): 33.96

Oxidation states

Charges the element commonly takes in compounds.

Physical properties, abundance and history of dysprosium

Bulk properties of dysprosium, how common it is, who discovered it and some of its compounds.

Physical properties

Phase at room conditions: Solid
Appearance: Silvery white
Melting point: 1406.85°C (1680 K)
Boiling point: 2566.85°C (2840 K)
Density: 8.54 g/cm³
Thermal conductivity (W/m·K): 10.7
Specific heat (J/g·K): 0.173
Molar heat capacity (J/mol·K): 27.7
Heat of vaporisation (kJ/mol): 291

Abundance

Earth's crust (mg/kg): 5.2
Oceans (mg/L): 0

Discovery

Discovered by: Lecoq de Boisbaudran
Year: 1886

Common compounds

Dysprosium Dy
Dysprosium chloride Cl3Dy
Dysprosium fluoride (DyF3) DyF3
Dysprosium(III) chloride hexahydrate Cl3DyH12O6
(5,8-Bis((carboxy-kappaO)methyl)-11-(2-(methylamino)-2-(oxo-kappaO)ethyl)-3-(oxo-kappaO)-2,5,8,11-tetraazatridecan-13-oato(3-)-kappaN5,kappaN8,kappaN11,kappaO)dysprosium C16H26DyN5O8
Dysprosium nitrate DyN3O9
Dysprosium nitride (DyN) DyN
Dysprosium citrate C6H5DyO7

Compounds listed in the PubChem database.

Main isotopes of dysprosium

Isotopes of dysprosium share the same 66 protons but differ in neutrons. Natural isotopes come first, then the longest-lived others.

Main isotopes of dysprosium: mass number, abundance, half-life and decay
Mass number	Natural abundance	Half-life	Decay
158	0.095 %	stable	α, 2β⁺
160	2.329 %	stable	–
161	18.889 %	stable	–
162	25.475 %	stable	–
163	24.896 %	stable	–
164	28.26 %	stable	–

α = alpha decay, β⁻ = beta-minus, β⁺ = beta-plus, EC = electron capture, SF = spontaneous fission, p / n = proton / neutron emission.

More about dysprosium

Dysprosium on the periodic table – properties, isotopes, uses and the full dysprosium page.
Lanthanides – all lanthanide elements and their trends.
Bohr model of every element – the Bohr model of all 118 elements.