Definition of cerium Cerium

ce•ri•um

We found 7 definitions of cerium from 7 different sources.

What does cerium mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: ceria
cerium - a ductile grey metallic element of the lanthanide series; used in lighter flints; the most abundant of the rare-earth group
		Ce, atomic number 58
		metallic element, metal any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.
		monazite a reddish-brown mineral containing rare earth metals; an important source of thorium and cerium
		bastnaesite, bastnasite a yellow-to-brown mineral that is a source of rare earth elements
		gadolinite, ytterbite a mineral that is a source of rare earths; consists of silicates of iron and beryllium and cerium and yttrium and erbium

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

Wiktionary

cerium (Noun)
A metallic chemical element symbol Ce with an atomic number of 58.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

cerium (n.)
A rare metallic element, occurring in the minerals cerite, allanite, monazite, etc. Symbol Ce. Atomic weight 141.5. It resembles iron in color and luster, but is soft, and both malleable and ductile. It tarnishes readily in the air.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

cerium
Chemical element with symbol Ce and atomic number 58, silvery white lanthanide.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

cerium
sē′ri-um, n. a rare metal found in the mineral Cē′rite, which is its hydrated silicate. [Named from the plant Ceres.]

Wikipedia

Cerium is a chemical element with an atomic number of 58. This means that the nucleus of Cerium has 58 protons in it. The atomic mass of Cerium is 140.12. The Chemical symbol of Cerium is Ce and it is a member of the Lanthanide group.

Properties.

Cerium is a grey, shiny or lustrous metal. At room temperature Cerium is a solid. It melts and becomes a liquid at 798oC and boils and becomes a gas at 3424oC. 0.0046% of the Earth's crust is Cerium which means that it is quite common - more common than Tin and Lead and nearly as comon as Zinc

Discovery.

Cerium was first found in Sweden in 1803 by Berzelius and Hisinger but because it is very reactive, it was not purified until 1875 in Washington DC. Cerium was named after the asteroid or minor planet Ceres which was first seen two years earlier in 1801.

Uses.

Cerium is not often used as a metal since it quickly reacts with the air and tarnishes. It's most comon use is as the 'flint' in a lighter, because it easily produces a spark when it is struck with another metal. Cerium is sometimes used in alloys because it often makes the alloy more heat resistant. Cerium is also used in special glass, ceramics and self cleaning ovens.

Oxidation.

Cerium reacts in two ways to produce Cerous compounds or salts and Ceric compounds. Cerous salts have an oxidation number of 3 and ceric salts have an oxidation of 4.

Isotopes.

Cerium has a large number of isotopes. Four of them are found in nature instead of having to be made,

Cerium-140 (88.5% of a