Context :

Aims : To model the abundance gradients in the disk of the Milky Way for several chemical elements ( O , Mg , Si , S , Ca , Sc , Ti , Co , V , Fe , Ni , Zn , Cu , Mn , Cr , Ba , La and Eu ) , and compare our results with the most recent and homogeneous observational data .

Methods : We adopt a chemical evolution model able to well reproduce the main properties of the solar vicinity .
The model assumes that the disk formed inside-out with a timescale for the formation of the thin disk of 7 Gyr in the solar vicinity , whereas the halo formed on a timescale of 0.8 Gyr .
We also adopt new empirical stellar yields derived to best fit the abundances and the abundance ratios of the solar vicinity .

Results : We compute , for the first time , the abundance gradients for all the above mentioned elements in the galactocentric distance range 4 - 22 kpc .
The comparison with the observed data on Cepheids in the galactocentric distance range 5-17 kpc gives a very good agreement for many of the studied elements .
In addition , we fit very well the data for the evolution of Lanthanum in the solar vicinity for which we present results here for the first time .
We explore , also for the first time , the behaviour of the abundance gradients at large galactocentric distances by comparing our results with data relative to distant open clusters and red giants and select the best chemical evolution model model on the basis of that .

Conclusions : We find a very good fit to the observed abundance gradients , as traced by Cepheids , for most of the elements , thus confirming the validity of the inside-out scenario for the formation of the Milky Way disk as well as the adopted nucleosynthesis prescriptions .