The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
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The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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Holmium's atomic number is 67, its atomic weight, 164.9303, and its chemical symbol, Ho. It is a relatively soft metal with a melting point of 1,461° C (2,661.8° F) and a boiling point of 2695° C (4,883° F).
Credit for the discovery of holmium is usually assigned to Per Teodor Cleve (1840-1905), a Swedish chemist who was a professor at the University of Uppsala. In 1879, Cleve discovered that the rare earth mineral erbia was not a pure substance, but a mixture of three oxides. In addition to the oxide called erbia itself, the mineral also contained the oxides of two other elements, holmia and thulia. Cleve selected the name holmium for one of the new elements in honor of his city of birth, Stockholm.
Holmium had actually been identified the previous year by two Swiss chemists, Marc Delafontaine (1837-1911) and Jacque-Louis Soret. Delafontaine and Soret observed a previously unreported set of spectral absorption bands that they attributed to a new "element X." They later accepted the name holmium for their "element X."
Although holmium has some rather unusual magnetic and electrical properties, few important uses have been found for it.