W
Tungsten
Element 74 · Transition metal
Tungsten (W)
Tungsten is a very dense, hard metal with the highest melting point of any element, at 3,422 °C.
- Transition metal
- Period 6
- Group 6
- d-block
- solid at room temperature
Key properties
- Atomic mass
- 183.84
- u
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2
- Melting point
- 3,421.9 °C
- 3,695 K
- Boiling point
- 5,554.9 °C
- 5,828 K
- Density
- 19.3 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 2.36
- Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 210 pm
- van der Waals
- 1st ionisation energy
- 7.98 eV
Compare with every element:Electronegativity chartAtomic radius chartIonisation energy chartDensity chart of the elementsMelting point chartElectron configuration chart
Did you know?
Notable facts about tungsten
- 01
Incandescent light bulb filaments were made of tungsten because it barely melts.
- 02
Tungsten carbide is nearly as hard as diamond and is used in drill bits and cutting tools.
- 03
Tungsten is as dense as gold, so it has been used to forge fake gold bars.
Applications
What is tungsten used for?
- Cutting tools (tungsten carbide)
- Light-bulb filaments
- Radiation shielding
- Armour-piercing rounds
History
Discovery & name origin
Discovered by
Year
Where
Spain
Name origin
Swedish tung sten, “heavy stone”; the symbol W comes from wolfram.
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
- Atomic number
- 74
- Atomic mass
- 183.84 u
- Group
- 6
- Period
- 6
- Block
- d-block
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2
- Full configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d4
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 32, 12, 2
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2.36
- Electron affinity
- 0.815 eV
- Atomic radius (van der Waals)
- 210 pm
- Stable isotopes
- 4
Oxidation states
Highlighted: common oxidation states (+6).
Successive ionisation energies
Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). Big jumps show where a new, inner shell begins.
- 1st770
- 2nd1,700
Physical
Physical properties & colour
Physical
Physical properties & colour
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Melting point
- 3,695 K · 3,421.9 °C · 6,191.3 °F
- Boiling point
- 5,828 K · 5,554.9 °C · 10,030.7 °F
- Density
- 19.3 g/cm³
- Molar heat capacity
- 24.27 J/(mol·K)
- Appearance
- Greyish white, lustrous
- CPK model colour
- Copied
The CPK colour is the convention used for this element’s atoms in molecular models.
FAQ
Tungsten questions
What is W on the periodic table?
W is the symbol for tungsten, element 74 on the periodic table. It sits in group 6, period 6, in the transition metal category, and has an atomic mass of 183.84.
What is the atomic number of tungsten?
Tungsten has atomic number 74, so every tungsten atom has 74 protons in its nucleus. Its symbol is W and its atomic mass is 183.84.
Who discovered tungsten?
Tungsten was discovered by Juan José Elhuyar and Fausto Elhuyar in 1783 (Spain). The name comes from Swedish tung sten, “heavy stone”; the symbol W comes from wolfram.
What is tungsten used for?
Tungsten is used for: cutting tools (tungsten carbide); light-bulb filaments; radiation shielding; armour-piercing rounds.
Is tungsten a metal?
Yes. Tungsten is a transition metal, one of the metallic elements.
What is the electron configuration of tungsten?
The electron configuration of tungsten is [Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2. Its 74 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 12, 2.