lutetium
A silvery-white rare earth metal, the last element of the lanthanide series, with atomic number 71.
Noun
Lutetium is a highly specialized term used almost exclusively within the fields of inorganic chemistry, physics, and materials science. It carries a neutral, technical connotation and is never used in casual conversation unless discussing specific scientific applications, such as medical imaging or industrial catalysis.
As a chemical element, it is treated as an uncountable mass noun. It refers to the substance in general rather than individual atoms or discrete objects, meaning it does not have a plural form in standard scientific usage.
Meanings
Examples
Lutetium oxyorthosilicate is commonly used as a scintillator in PET scans.
Health
Related Words
elementmetallanthaniderare earthperiodgroupatomic numberatomic masselectronprotonneutronvalenceorbitalshellisotoperadioisotopehalf lifedecayradiationgamma raybeta particlealpha particlechemistryphysicsmetallurgyspectroscopycrystallatticeoxidationreductionioncationanioncompoundoxidefluoridechloridebromideiodidealloyscintillatordetectorimagingmedicinetherapycancertumorradiopharmaceuticalcatalystcatalysislanthanumceriumpraseodymiumneodymiumpromethiumsamariumeuropiumgadoliniumterbiumdysprosiumholmiumerbiumthuliumytterbiumactinideperiodic tablevalence electronelectronegativityionization energyatomic radiusparamagnetismdiamagnetismferromagnetism