Ytterbium (Yb). Diagram of the nuclear composition and electron configuration of an atom of ytterbium-174 (atomic number: 70), the most common isotope of this element. The nucleus consists of 70 protons (red) and 104 neutrons (yellow). 70 electrons (white) bind to the nucleus, successively occupying available electron shells (rings). Ytterbium is a lanthanide in period 6, and the f-block of the periodic table. It melts at 824 degrees Celsius. The trend across the lanthanide series arises from the failure of electrons filling an inner f-subshell (here, within the 4th ring) to shield outer electrons from increasing nuclear charge.