Periodic Table

Tungsten

Transition Metal

Quick Facts about Tungsten

Ta
  • solid- state of matter at room temperature
  • Stable- has at least one stable isotope
  • +6- common oxidation states in compounds
  • BCC- crystal structure, atomic arrangement in solid form
Re

Tungsten (W) is element 74 on the periodic table. Atomic mass of W: 183.8400 u. W is in period 6, group 6. Melting point of W: 3695.00 K.Density of W: 19.25 g/cm³.

Why Tungsten Matters

The metal with the highest melting point—lighting your world for over a century

In Your Home

  • Incandescent light bulb filaments
  • Jewelry (tungsten carbide rings)
  • Drill bits and cutting tools
  • Dart tips and fishing weights

Industry Uses

LightingIncandescent bulb filaments (3422°C melting point!)
ManufacturingTungsten carbide cutting tools and drill bits
MilitaryArmor-piercing ammunition
ElectronicsX-ray tube anodes and electrodes

In Your Body

✗ Not essential

Not essential for humans. Some bacteria use tungsten in enzymes. Low toxicity due to poor absorption.

Safety: Low acute toxicity. Tungsten carbide dust may be hazardous. Some concern about environmental accumulation.

Discovery of Tungsten

Discovered by Fausto and Juan José de Elhuyar in Spain, 1783

Name origin: Swedish: tung sten (heavy stone): symbol from its German name wolfram.

History & Events

1783
Discovery
Spanish brothers Juan José and Fausto Elhuyar isolated tungsten from wolframite
1904
Light Bulb Filament
Just and Hanaman created first practical tungsten filament bulb
1927
Tungsten Carbide
Krupp patented cemented tungsten carbide for cutting tools

Why "W" for Tungsten?

WWolfram(German)

The symbol W comes from "Wolfram," the German name still used in many languages. It means "wolf foam" referring to how tin ore was "devoured like a wolf" when tungsten was present. The English name "Tungsten" is Swedish for "heavy stone."

About Tungsten

White or grey metallic transition element,formerly called Wolfram. Forms a protective oxide in air and can be oxidized at high temperature. First isolated by Jose and Fausto de Elhuyer in 1783.

Atomic Properties of W

Atomic Number of W
74
Atomic Mass of W
183.8400 u
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2
Electronegativity
2.36
Block
d-block
Group
6
Period
6

Physical Properties of W

Phase (STP)
solid
Melting Point of W
3695.00 K
Boiling Point of W
6203.00 K
Density of W
19.2500 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Heat of Fusion
35.00 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization
824.00 kJ/mol
Specific Heat
0.13 J/g·K
Molar Heat Capacity
24.27 J/mol·K
Thermal Conductivity
173.00 W/m·K

Atomic Radii

Calculated
135 pm
Covalent
137 pm
Van der Waals
218 pm
Metallic
130 pm

Common Misconceptions

Wrong:W stands for tungsten in some language.
Correct:W comes from 'wolfram,' the German name. 'Tungsten' means 'heavy stone' in Swedish.
Wrong:Tungsten is the hardest metal.
Correct:Tungsten is very hard but not the hardest. Tungsten carbide (compound) is harder than pure tungsten.
Wrong:LEDs made tungsten obsolete.
Correct:While LEDs dominate lighting, tungsten is still crucial for cutting tools, medical equipment, and electronics.

Isotopes of Tungsten

Tungsten has 5 naturally occurring isotopes, plus 1 notable radioactive isotope.

IsotopeAtomic Mass (u)AbundanceHalf-LifeDecay Mode
17874W (W-178)Tungsten-178 isotope177.94590%21.6 daysEC
18074W (W-180)Tungsten-180 isotope179.94671080.1200%
18274W (W-182)Tungsten-182 isotope181.948203926.50%
18374W (W-183)Tungsten-183 isotope182.950222714.31%
18474W (W-184)Tungsten-184 isotope183.950930930.64%
18674W (W-186)Tungsten-186 isotope185.954362828.43%

Data source: NIH PubChem (aggregated from IUPAC, NIST)

Abundance

Earth's Crust
1.3 mg/kg
Seawater
1.00×10-4 mg/L

Uses

Made into filaments for vacuum tubes and electric lights. Also as contact points in cars. Combined with calcium or magnesium it makes phosphors. Tungsten carbide is extremely hard and is used for making cutting tools and abrasives.

Sources

Occurs in the minerals scheelite (CaWO4) and wolframite [(Fe,Mn)WO4].

Geochemistry

Goldschmidt
litophile

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