Ytterbium is a chemical element with the symbol Yb and atomic number 70. It belongs to the lanthanide series of the periodic table and is a silvery-white metal. Ytterbium is primarily used in various applications, including electronics, lasers, and as a doping agent in fiber optics to enhance signal quality. Discovered in 1878 by Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac, ytterbium is relatively rare in the Earth's crust. It is often extracted from minerals such as monazite and xenotime. Ytterbium has several isotopes, with Yb-174 being the most stable and abundant.