Tungsten
Tungsten (钨, symbol W) is chemical element number 74, a Transition Metal in period 6, group 6 of the periodic table, with a standard atomic weight of about 183.84. Highest melting point of all metals. Used in incandescent filaments and armor-piercing rounds.
Properties
| Atomic number | 74 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | W |
| Atomic mass | 183.84 u |
| Category | Transition Metal |
| Period | 6 |
| Group | 6 |
| Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s² |
| Electronegativity | 2.36 |
| Covalent radius | 162 pm |
| Density | 19.25 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 3695 K |
| Boiling point | 5828 K |
| Discovery | Juan José & Fausto Elhuyar, 1783 |
Overview
Highest melting point of all metals. Used in incandescent filaments and armor-piercing rounds. Tungsten (W) is a Transition Metal with atomic number 74, located in period 6, group 6. As a transition metal it commonly shows several oxidation states, forms coloured compounds, and is widely used in catalysts and alloys.
Its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s², with 2 electrons in the outer shell, and an electronegativity of about 2.36 (Pauling). Around 25 °C it is usually a solid (a very high melting point); it melts near 3695 K (3421.9 °C), boils near 5828 K (5554.9 °C), has a density around 19.25 g/cm³.
In industry and daily life it turns up in Structural / Alloys and Electronics / Semiconductors. It was first described by Juan José & Fausto Elhuyar in 1783. The periodic trends guide explains the underlying patterns.
Electron shells
Electrons per shell: 2 · 8 · 18 · 32 · 12 · 2
Main uses
- Structural / Alloys
- Electronics / Semiconductors
Hazard
Compounds containing Tungsten
No compounds in this knowledge base contain Tungsten yet.
Data sources
Atomic mass uses IUPAC (CIAAW) standard atomic weights; the covalent radius is from Cordero et al. (2008). Verify on the RSC Periodic Table, PubChem and Wikipedia. Educational reference only.