Name       : Lanthanum
Symbol     : La
Atomic #   : 57
Atom weight: 138.91
Melting P. : 918
Boiling P. : 3464
Oxidation  : +3
Pronounced : LAN-the-nem
From       : Greek lanthanein, "to be hidden"
Identified : Carl Gustaf Mosander in 1893
Appearance : Silvery-white, soft, malleable, and ductile metal
Note       : Heads the list of important lanthanide elements
             
[Properties]

  Lanthanum is silvery-white, malleable, and ductile. It is soft enough to
be cut with a knife. It is a reactive rare earth, second only to europium
in that respect. It reacts in dry air, burning at about 440 degrees, and
it reacts vigorously in hot water.
  Lanthanum is in a unique position on the periodic table, at the beginning
of the lanthanide series. Beginning with lanthanum, itself (element 57),
the series resumes on a separate line below the main body of the table.
This line begins with cerium (element 58) and ends with lutetium (element
71). Lutetium is not only the last of the lanthanide series, but the last
of the rare-earth metals as well. The periodic sequence then returns to 
the main body of the table with hafnium (element 72).