Lutetium (Lu) Fun Facts

71 Lu
Superhero Identity

"The Final Lanthanide, the last and densest of the rare-earth heroes, used in cancer-fighting therapies."

The true essence of Lutetium (Lu) on the molecular frontier.

Appearance

Lutetium is a silvery-white, hard, and dense metal.

Everyday Connection

Lutetium is found in a detector in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) medical scanners.

In Pop Culture

Lutetium is used as a catalyst for cracking hydrocarbons in oil refineries.

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Did You Know?

1

It is named after Lutetia, the ancient Roman name for the city of Paris.

2

Lutetium is the last element in the lanthanide series and is also the hardest and densest of the lanthanides.

3

The radioactive isotope lutetium-177 is used in targeted radionuclide therapy to treat certain types of cancers, such as neuroendocrine tumors.

4

It is one of the rarest and most expensive of the rare earth elements.

5

It is used as a catalyst in oil refineries to help break down large hydrocarbon molecules in a process called cracking.