Holmium (Ho)
"The Magnetic Master, the hero with the most powerful natural magnetic force of all."
A memorable persona to anchor Ho in your mind.
8.79
Grams per cm³
1472
Celsius (°C)
216
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
Holmium is found in the pole pieces of the strongest laboratory magnets.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1878
Discovered By
Jacques-Louis Soret & Marc Delafontaine
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the Latin name for Stockholm, ''Holmia''."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
164.93 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
2700°C
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f116s2
1st Ionization Energy
6.022 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"Holmium is a bright, soft, silvery-white metal."
Did You Know?
It has the highest magnetic strength (magnetic moment) of any naturally occurring element.
Because of its extreme magnetic properties, it is used to create the pole pieces for the most powerful static magnets, which help to concentrate the magnetic field.
When added to cubic zirconia, it gives the crystals a yellow or red color, creating imitation gemstones.
Holmium was discovered spectroscopically due to its unique set of sharp absorption lines; these lines are so sharp that they are used to calibrate optical spectrophotometers.