Lanthanum
Lanthanum is a chemical element, having the chemical symbol La.
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Its atomic number (the number of protons) is 57. It has a Standard Atomic Weight of 138.9055(2), and is typically found as a solid in its elemental form.
Lanthanum is considered to be a member of the "Transition metal" class of elements, has a boiling point of 3,464 °C , and a melting point of 918 °C .
A white, soft element, Lanthanum is classified in a number of different "categories" of elements. In addition to being a transition metal, it belongs to the rare earth metals, (which include Scandium, Yttrium, and Actinium), and is also the namesake of the lanthanides, a group of elements in the Periodic Table having atomic numbers from 57 (Lanthinide itself) to 71 (Lutetium).