Scandium

Element Scandium

Scandium atom is a rare earth metal atom, a scandium group element atom and a d-block element atom.
An element of the rare earth family of metals. It has the atomic symbol Sc, atomic number 21, and atomic weight 45.
The properties of scandium compounds are intermediate between those of aluminium and yttrium. A diagonal relationship exists between the behavior of magnesium and scandium, just as there is between beryllium and aluminium.
In the chemical compounds of the elements in group 3, the predominant oxidation state is +3.

In nature, scandium is found exclusively as the isotope 45Sc, which has a nuclear spin of 7/2; this is its only stable isotope.
Thirteen radioisotopes have been characterized with the most stable being 46Sc, which has a half-life of 83.8 days; 47Sc, 3.35 days; the positron emitter 44Sc, 4 h; and 48Sc, 43.7 hours.
All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives less than 4 hours, and the majority of these have half-lives less than 2 minutes. This element also has five nuclear isomers, with the most stable being 44mSc (t1/2 = 58.6 h).