----- Original Message -----
From: "Judith Dinowitz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "CF-Community" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, April 29, 2002 10:34 PM
Subject: Re: What is your name?
> J.U.D.I.T.H.: Journeying Unit Designed for Infiltration and Terran Harm
> Y.A.F.F.A.: Ytterbium Artificial Forbidden Fighting Android
> D.I.N.O.W.I.T.Z.: Digital Intelligent Neohuman Optimized for Worldwide
> Infiltration and Terran Zoology
>
> What the Heck isYtterbium?
>
> Judith
It's an element on the periodic table.
<CF_TotalScienceNerdStuff>
Atomic Number: 70
Atomic Symbol: Yb
Atomic Weight: 173.04
Electron Configuration: [Xe]6s24f14
History
(Ytterby, village in Sweden) Marignac in 1878 discovered a new component,
which he called ytterbia, in the earth then known as erbia. In 1907, Urbain
separated ytterbia into two components, which he called neoytterbia and
lutecia. The elements in these earths are now known as ytterbium and
lutetium, respectively. These elements are identical with aldebaranium and
cassiopeium, discovered independently and at about the same time by von
Welsbach.
Sources
Ytterbium occurs along with other rare earths in a number of rare minerals.
It is commercially recovered principally from monazite sand, which contains
about 0.03%. Ion-exchange and solvent extraction techniques developed in
recent years have greatly simplified the separation of the rare earths from
one another.
Production
The element was first prepared by Klemm and bonner in 1937 by reducing
ytterbium trichloride with potassium. Their metal was mixed, however, with
KCl. Daane, Dennison, and Spedding prepared a much purer from in 1953 from
which the chemical and physical properties of the element could be
determined.
Properties
Ytterbium has a bright silvery luster, is soft, malleable, and quite
ductile. While the element is fairly stable, it should be kept in closed
containers to protect it from air and moisture. Ytterbium is readily
attacked and dissolved by dilute and concentrated mineral acids and reacts
slowly with water. Ytterbium has three allotropic forms with transformation
points at -13oC and 795oC. The beta form is a room-temperature,
face-centered, cubic modification, while the high-temperature gamma form is
a body-centered cubic form. Another body-centered cubic phase has recently
been found to be stable at high pressures at room temperatures. The beta
form ordinarily has metallic-type conductivity, but becomes a semiconductor
when the pressure is increased about 16,000 atm. The electrical resistance
increases tenfold as the pressure is increased to 39,000 atm and drops to
about 10% of its standard temperature-pressure resistivity at a pressure of
40,000 atm. Natural ytterbium is a mixture of seven stable isotopes. Seven
other unstable isotopes are known.
Uses
Ytterbium metal has possible use in improving the grain refinement,
strength, and other mechanical properties of stainless steel. One isotope is
reported to have been used as a radiation source substitute for a portable
X-ray machine where electricity is unavailable. Few other uses have been
found.
Cost
Ytterbium metal is commercially available with a purity of about 99+% for
about $875/kg.
Handling
Ytterbium has a low acute toxic rating.
Additionally, more info than you probably wanted to know:
http://140.198.18.108/periodic/Yb.html
</CF_TotalScienceNerdStuff>
I'm assuming they are suggesting that your cyborg wiring is based on this
metal .. maybe hinting at its superconductive properties? I dunno. I'm not
a chemist :)
Todd
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