🔹 Basic Information

• Element Name: Cerium
• Discovered By: Martin Heinrich Klaproth, Jöns Jakob Berzelius, and Wilhelm Hisinger
• Year of Discovery: 1803
• Category: Lanthanide (Rare Earth Metal)
• Group: f-block
• State at Room Temperature: Solid (silvery-white, soft metal) ⚙️

Cerium is the second element in the lanthanide series and one of the most abundant rare earth elements in Earth’s crust!

🔸 Chemical Properties

• Chemical Symbol: Ce
• Atomic Number: 58
• Atomic Mass: ~140.12 u
• Valency: +3, +4 (can vary)
• Electronic Configuration: [Xe] 4f¹ 5d¹ 6s²

Cerium is reactive, especially in moist air. It tarnishes and can even catch fire when powdered. 🔥

📘 Basic Things to Know

Cerium is named after the dwarf planet Ceres, which was discovered just two years before the element. It’s commonly found in minerals like monazite and bastnäsite.

🤔 Interesting Facts

• Cerium is used in lighter flints — when you spark a lighter, you’re seeing cerium in action! 🔥
• Though it’s a “rare earth metal,” cerium is more common than copper in the Earth’s crust.
• It’s a major component of mischmetal, a blend of rare-earth metals used in flints.
• Cerium can oxidize easily and needs to be stored with care.
• It has unique catalytic properties, making it useful in environmental tech.

🔧 Common Uses

• Lighter Flints: Found in ferrocerium alloys — helps create sparks. 🔥
• Glass Polishing: Cerium oxide is used to polish lenses and screens. 🧼🔍
• Catalytic Converters: Helps reduce harmful gases in car exhaust. 🚗💨
• Glass Coloring and De-coloring: Used in UV-blocking glass and sunglasses. 🕶️
• Metal Alloys: Improves strength and heat resistance in steel and iron.

📚 Conclusion

Cerium is a bright, reactive metal with surprising everyday uses — from your pocket lighter to car pollution control. For students, it’s a great example of how rare earth elements can be both abundant and essential in modern life! 🔬🌍