Ytterbium

The 70^th element, ytterbium, was named after the small Swedish town of Ytterby. Although ytterbium is more abundant than tin, this soft, malleable silvery-white metal is used primarily for research purposes and has no biological role.

Ytterbium is slowly oxidized by air and has only limited industrial applications. Occasionally, the element is employed in lasers. Further, medical X-ray units and portable units that examine the mechanical properties of steel can use ytterbium's radioisotope.