Element 70 · Ytterbium (Yb)

Ytterbium Bohr model: diagram and electrons per shell

The ytterbium Bohr model shows a ytterbium atom (Yb) as a small nucleus with its electrons circling it in 6 shells: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P. This page has a rotating 3D ytterbium Bohr model, a flat diagram, a table of the electrons in each shell and the steps to draw it yourself.

Rotate the ytterbium Bohr model in 3D

Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.

This is a Bohr model of ytterbium (Yb), a simplified picture of a single ytterbium atom. Its nucleus holds 70 protons, and a neutral ytterbium atom has 70 electrons, arranged around it in 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P).

Yb K · 21s² L · 82s² 2p⁶ M · 183s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ N · 324s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ O · 85s² 5p⁶ P · 26s²

Ytterbium Bohr model diagram

Bohr model diagram of ytterbium: a nucleus of 70 protons with 70 electrons on 6 shells, 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P, each ring labelled with its shell letter. — The ytterbium 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, 32 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P).

Ytterbium electrons per shell

A neutral ytterbium atom has 70 electrons, one for each of its 70 protons. They fill the shells from the nucleus outwards: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P.

Electrons in each shell of the ytterbium 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	32	32	4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴
O	5	8	50	5s² 5p⁶
P	6	2	72	6s²

How the ytterbium Bohr model builds up, shell by shell

Watch the ytterbium 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, 32 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P) as it forms.

Animation of the ytterbium Bohr model being built: a nucleus of 70 protons appears first, then each shell grows in around it and takes its electrons, giving 70 electrons on 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P). — The ytterbium 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, 32 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P. Protons are red, neutrons yellow and electrons blue.

How to draw the ytterbium Bohr model

Find the atomic number. Ytterbium has atomic number 70, so a neutral atom has 70 protons and 70 electrons.
Draw the nucleus. Put a circle in the centre and write Yb in it. The 70 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, 32 in shell N, 8 in shell O and 2 in shell P.
Check the total. 2 + 8 + 18 + 32 + 8 + 2 = 70, the atomic number, so every electron is accounted for.

Atomic data for the ytterbium Bohr model

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

Identity

Symbol: Yb
Atomic number: 70
Atomic mass: 173.0451 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 4f¹⁴
Shorthand: [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 6s²
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 32, 8, 2
Outer-shell electrons: 2 in shell P

Ionisation energies

I₁: 603.4
I₂: 1174.8
I₃: 2417
I₄: 4203

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): 222
Empirical (pm): 175
Covalent (pm): 170

Electronegativity and electron affinity

Electronegativity (Pauling): 1.1
Electron affinity (kJ/mol): -1.93

Oxidation states

Charges the element commonly takes in compounds.

Physical properties, abundance and history of ytterbium

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

Physical properties

Phase at room conditions: Solid
Melting point: 823.85°C (1097 K)
Boiling point: 1195.85°C (1469 K)
Density: 6.9 g/cm³
Specific heat (J/g·K): 0.155
Molar heat capacity (J/mol·K): 26.74
Heat of fusion (kJ/mol): 3.35
Heat of vaporisation (kJ/mol): 159

Abundance

Earth's crust (mg/kg): 3.2
Oceans (mg/L): 0

Discovery

Discovered by: Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac
Year: 1878

Common compounds

Ytterbium Yb
Ytterbium bromide (YbBr3) Br3Yb
Ytterbium fluoride F3Yb
Ytterbium chloride Cl3Yb
Nitric acid, ytterbium(3+) salt (3:1) N3O9Yb
Ytterbium nitride (YbN) NYb
Ytterbium chloride hexahydrate Cl3H12O6Yb
Ytterbium citrate C6H5O7Yb

Compounds listed in the PubChem database.

Main isotopes of ytterbium

Isotopes of ytterbium share the same 70 protons but differ in neutrons. Natural isotopes come first, then the longest-lived others.

Main isotopes of ytterbium: mass number, abundance, half-life and decay
Mass number	Natural abundance	Half-life	Decay
170	2.982 %	stable	–
171	14.086 %	stable	–
172	21.686 %	stable	–
173	16.103 %	stable	–
174	32.025 %	stable	–
176	12.995 %	stable	2β⁻, α

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

More about ytterbium

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