Gadolinium is element number 64, with the symbol Gd. Its name comes from Gadolin, a Finnish researcher.
Atomic number 64157.2
GdGadoliniumガドリニウム (gadoriniumu)
Symbol
Gd
Atomic weight
157.2
Place in the table
Period 6 · Lanthanoids
Atomic weight from the Chemical Society of Japan, “Table of Standard Atomic Weights with Four Significant Figures (2026)”.
A pioneer of research
Gadolinium was discovered in 1880 and named after Gadolin, a Finnish researcher who pioneered research on the rare-earth elements.
Where it sits on the table
The fifteen elements from lanthanum to lutetium are called the lanthanoids. On the Room of the Elements table they are in the upper of the two rows set apart at the bottom.
Think about it
Q1What does it mean to leave a pioneer’s name on an element?
Q2Look for elements named after people.
Q3Where is Finland on a map?
There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.
Did you know? — Among elements named after people, samarium (1879) and gadolinium (1880) are next to each other in the lanthanoids.