W
Tungsten has the highest melting point of any element and is used in light bulb filaments.
Physical Properties
| Atomic Mass | 183.84 u |
| Density | 19.25 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 3695.0 K |
| Boiling Point | 5828.0 K |
| Appearance | Grayish white, lustrous metallic |
| State at Room Temp | Solid |
Chemical Properties
| Electronegativity | 2.36 (Pauling) |
| 1st Ionization Energy | 770.0 kJ/mol |
| Electron Affinity | 78.6 kJ/mol |
| Oxidation States | +2, +3, +4, +5, +6 |
Atomic Properties
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2 |
| Atomic Radius | 139.0 pm |
| Covalent Radius | 162.0 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 210.0 pm |
Discovery
| Discovered By | Juan Jose Elhuyar, Fausto Elhuyar |
| Discovery Year | 1783 |
| Location | Bergara, Spain |
| Named After | Swedish 'tung sten' meaning heavy stone; symbol W from German 'Wolfram' |
About Tungsten
Tungsten has the highest melting point (3,695 K), highest tensile strength, and lowest vapor pressure of any pure metal. It is extremely dense and hard.
Uses & Applications
Light bulb filaments, cutting tools (tungsten carbide), armor-piercing projectiles, X-ray tubes, and heating elements.
Fun Fact
Tungsten has the highest melting point of any element at 3,695 K and was chosen for incandescent bulbs because it can glow white-hot.
Isotopes
| Mass Number | Abundance | Half-Life | Stable |
| 182 | 0.265% | - | Yes |
| 183 | 0.1431% | - | Yes |
| 184 | 0.3064% | - | Yes |
| 186 | 0.2843% | - | Yes |
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2