Difference between Lanthanoid and Actinide

Some of the common differences between lanthanoid and actinide are:

Lanthanoid

Actinide

Lanthanides starts from lanthanum (La) and ends with lutetium (Lu), spanning atomic numbers 57 to 71.

Actinides, starts from actinium (Ac) and extends down to lawrencium (Lr), covering atomic numbers 89 to 103.

Lanthanides share similar chemical properties due to the filling of the 4f orbitals and also exhibit Lanthanoid contraction

Actinides, while also having similar chemical properties, exhibit a wider range of oxidation states compared to lanthanides.

Some Lanthanides have stable isotopes, and their radioactive isotopes have relatively long half-lives.

Many actinides, especially the heavier ones, have unstable and radioactive isotopes with shorter half-lives.

Difference between Lanthanoid and Actinide Contraction

Some of the most common differences between lanthenoid and actinide contraction are listed in the following table:

Lanthanoid Contraction

Actinide Contraction

It refers to the phenomenon where there is a decrease in the atomic and ionic radii of the elements in the lanthanide series

The Actinide series does not show a similar contraction effect, mainly because the 5f electrons are not as effective at shielding the nuclear charge as the 4f electrons in the lanthanide series

Due to the poor shielding of 4F electrons which leads to a stronger effective nuclear charge felt by the outer electrons, causing a contraction in the atomic and ionic radii.

Due to 5F electron which leads to very poor shielding effect due to which this effect is not pronounced.

The lanthanoid contraction has several consequences in terms of properties such as atomic size, ionization energy, and chemical behavior across the lanthanide series.

The properties of Actinides are influenced by their electronic configuration, including the filling of 5f orbitals, but the Actinide contraction is not used.

F Block Elements

F-Block Elements in Chemistry, also known as Inner Transition Elements, comprise a group of elements located in the two rows at the bottom of the periodic table. Elements with filled f orbitals are found within this section. The f-block is positioned in the sixth and seventh periods of the periodic table, with the sixth period referred to as the lanthanide series and the seventh as the actinide series.

In this article, we will discuss the topic of F-Block Elements, including their properties, position in the periodic table, electronic configurations, as well as their real-world applications.

Table of Content

  • What are F Block Elements?
  • Electronic Configuration of F Block Elements
  • Classification of F Block Elements
  • Properties of F Block Elements
  • Characteristics of Lanthanides
  • Characteristics of Actinides
  • Applications of F Block Elements

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