| Reactions of Thulium |
 Reactions with water |
| The silvery white metal thulium is quite electropositive and reacts slowly with cold water and quite quickly with hot water
to form thulium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.
|
2Tm(s) + 6H2O(g) 2Tm(OH)3(aq) + 3H2(g) |
| Reactions with air |
| Thulium tarnishes slowly in air and burns readily to form thulium (III) oxide. |
| 4Tm(s) + 3O2(g)2Tm2O3(s) |
| Reactions with halogens |
| Thulium reacts with all the halogens to form thulium(III) halides. |
| 2Tm(s) + 3F2(g)2TmF3(s) |
| 2Tm(s) + 3Cl2(g)2TmCl3(s) |
| 2Tm(s) + 3Br2(g)2TmBr3(s) |
| 2Tm(s) + 3I2(g)2TmI3(s) |
| Reactions with acids |
| Thulium dissolves readily in dilute sulphuric acid to form solutions containing the pale green aquated Tm(III) ion together with hydrogen gas.
|
| 2Tm(s) + 3H2SO4(aq)2Tm3+(aq) + 3SO42-(aq) + 3H2(g) |
| |