Elemental Limericks, Part 7

[deckardcanine]

Promethium’s named for the titan
Who stole flame from Olympus to lighten
Human lives, for the metal
Is not apt to settle,
Unstable, and thus it may frighten.

Samarium-153
Is a beta emitter, and we
Find it handy to kill
Many cancer cells. We’ll
Use the trade name of Quadramet, see?

Europium strongly reacts
As the lanthanides go, and an axe
Could cut through it with ease.
It makes light in TVs
And might help to thwart nuking attacks.

Gadolinium’s paramagnetic
At room temperature—quite copasetic
To enhance MRI
And in X-rays to spy.
(It’s not easy to keep this poetic.)

Ol’ terbium happens to be
A component of Terfenol-D,
Which makes it quite nice
In a speaker device
And for sensing things under the sea.

Dysprosium’s name comes from Greek,
Meaning “tricky to get” (language geek).
Being also a key
Part of Terfenol-D,
It is useful but hardly unique.

While holmium’s strongest in terms
Of a magnet, as science affirms,
It can, in addition,
Absorb fruits of fission—
A fine neutron poison that burns.

The principal erbium role
Is in optical fibers. The goal
Is the amplification
Of signal migration,
A critical task on the whole.

Pure thulium’s silv’ry and soft,
But in nature, it isn’t found oft—
Or at all, to be sure,
When restricted to pure.
Its discoverer’s not to be scoffed.

Ytterbium’s last on the list
Of the elements found to exist
Near Ytterby, Sweden
(A scientist’s Eden).
I’m glad that the stuff wasn’t missed.