| Reactions of Lutetium |
 Reactions with water |
| Lutetium is quite electropositive and reacts slowly with cold water and quite quickly with hot water to form lutetium hydroxide
and hydrogen gas.
|
2Lu(s) + 6H2O(g) 2Lu(OH)3(aq) + 3H2(g) |
| Reactions with air |
| Lutetium metal tarnishes slowly in air and burns readily to form lutetium (III) oxide. |
| 4Lu + 3O22Lu2O3 |
| Reactions with halogens |
| Lutetium metal reacts with all the halogens to form lutetium(III) halides. |
| 2Lu(s) + 3F2(g)2LuF3(s) |
| 2Lu(s) + 3Cl2(g)2LuCl3(s) |
| 2Lu(s) + 3Br2(g)2LuBr3(s) |
| 2Lu(s) + 3I2(g)2LuI3(s) |
| Reactions with acids |
| Lutetium dissolves readily in dilute sulphuric acid to form solutions containing the colourless aquated Lu(III) ion together with hydrogen gas.
|
| 2Lu(s) + 3H2SO4(aq)2Lu3+(aq) + SO42-(aq) + 3H2(g) |
| |