Return
to the Main CHEMystery Page.
Return
to the Periodic Table of the Elements
Element 74 - Tungsten (W)
From Swedish
tung sten
, or heavy stone; symbol W from its German name
wolfram
; discovered 1783. The highest melting of metals--at 3659 K--tungsten in filaments withstands intense heat in light bulbs. New tungsten-tipped "painless" dental drills spin at ultra-high speeds.
Properties
Atomic Number
:
74
Atomic Weight
:
183.85
Electron Configuration
(at ground state):
1s
2
2s
2
2p
6
3s
2
3p
6
3d
10
4s
2
4p
6
4d
10
4f
14
5s
2
5p
6
5d
4
6s
2
Oxidation States
(Bold most stable):
+6
, +5, +4, +3, +2
Boiling Point
(K):
5825
Melting Point (K):
3695
Density
(at 300K -- g/cm
3
):
19.3
Atomic Volume (at 300K -- cm
3
/mol)
9.53
Number of stable
isotopes
:
5
Mass Number
(Bold naturally occurring) --
Half-Life
--
Disintigration Type
:
181 -- 140 days -- orbital
electron capture
185 -- 75.1 days --
beta particle
(
electron
) emission
188 -- 69 days --
beta particle
(
electron
) emission
Covalent Radius (Å):
1.30
Atomic Radius (Å):
1.41
First
Ionization Potential
(V):
7.98
Electronegativity
(Pauling's):
2.36
Specific Heat
Capacity (at 300K -- J g
-1
K
-1
):
0.13
Heat of Vaporization (kJ/mol):
422.58
Heat of Fusion (kJ/mol):
35.40
Electrical Conductivity (at 293K for polycrystalline material -- 10
6
-1
cm
-1
):
18.2
Thermal Conductivity (at 300K -- W m
-1
K
-1
):
174
Crystal Structure:
Cubic, body centered
Acid
-
Base
Properties:
Slightly acidic