Terbium (Tb) Fun Facts

65 Tb
Superhero Identity

"The Green-Screen, the hero who brings the vibrant green to energy-efficient lights and TV screens."

The true essence of Terbium (Tb) on the molecular frontier.

Appearance

Terbium is a silvery-white, malleable, rare earth metal.

Everyday Connection

Terbium is found in the green phosphor in a low-energy fluorescent light bulb.

In Pop Culture

Terbium is a key part of Terfenol-D, an alloy that changes shape in magnetic fields � used in sonar systems.

Revision Hub

Master the elements with smart drills and quick revision sheets.

Revise

Did You Know?

1

It is a key component in producing the green phosphor used in trichromatic lighting, such as fluorescent lamps and modern TV and smartphone screens.

2

The alloy Terfenol-D, made with terbium, dysprosium, and iron, expands or contracts when exposed to a magnetic field (a property called magnetostriction) and is used in advanced sonar systems and sensors.

3

Like its neighbors yttrium, erbium, and ytterbium, it is named after the village of Ytterby in Sweden.

4

It is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife.

5

It is used as a dopant in solid-state devices and as a crystal stabilizer in fuel cells that operate at high temperatures.