Properties of Lanthanum (La)
Lanthanum is a chemical element with the symbol (La) and atomic number 57. It belongs to the lanthanide series, a group of elements in the periodic table. Lanthanum is a soft, silvery-white metal that is highly reactive and oxidizes rapidly when exposed to air. It is often used in combination with other elements to create alloys with special properties.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of lanthanum (La) properties in both SI and US customary/Imperial units at normal temperature and pressure (NTP).
Click on the icon to switch between Metric and Imperial units.
| Physical Properties | Metric |
|---|---|
| Crystal Structure | Double hexagonal close-packed (dhcp) |
| Atomic Number | 57 |
| Molar Mass | 138.905 g/mol |
| Density | 6150 kg/m3 |
| Mechanical Properties | Metric |
| Young’s Modulus (E) | 36.6 GPa |
| Shear Modulus (G) | 14.3 GPa |
| Bulk Modulus (K) | 27.9 GPa |
| Poisson’s Ratio (ν) | 0.28 |
| Mohs Hardness | 2.5 |
| Thermal Properties | Metric |
| Melting Point | 920 °C |
| Boiling Point | 3464 °C |
| Thermal Conductivity (27°C) | 13.5 W/m·K |
| Specific Heat Capacity (Cp) (25°C) | 195 J/kg·K |
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (αL) (25°C) | 1.21×10-5 1/°C |
| Electrical Properties | Metric |
| Electrical Resistivity | 6.15×10-5 Ω·cm |
Unless stated otherwise, all values are taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atm pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 3) A.M. Howatson, P.G. Lun, J.D. Todd, P.D. Engineering Tables and Data. United Kingdom: University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science, 2009.