What are #"f-elements"#?

1 Answer
Jul 1, 2017

Do you speak of the #"lanthanides"# and #"actinides"#?

Explanation:

The appearance of the lanthanides, and actinides in separate rows (i.e. Periods) on the Periodic Table, that are distinct from the transition metals is probably more a matter of formatting practicality. They would occur as rows, as Periods after lanthanum, and radium, BEFORE hafnium, and rutherfordium, but this would lead to a VERY wide Table.

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If you are following me, they would ideally appear at the asterisk, and the double asterisk, i.e. the gaps in the Table. But such a representation would give a Table that would be hard to fit on even on a landscape page.

Both groups show the filling of #"f-orbitals"#, and the chemistry of these metals (along with scandium and ytrrium) usually gives #M^(3+)# oxidation states.......