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tungsten [W] (wolfram)
From the Swedish tung sten meaning heavy stone. The symbol W is derived from the mineral wolframite, from which the element was originally isolated.
Isolated in 1783 by Spanish chemists Jaun Jose & Fausto Elhuyar.
Occurrence:
-> China has 75% of the world's tungsten ores
Characteristics:
1) gray-silvery-white, heavy, hard metal
2) highest melting point & highest boiling point of all metals
3) ductile
4) polyvalent
5) resembles chromium & molybdenum in many of its properties
Uses:
1) high-temperature applications
a) heating elements
b) lightbulb filaments
2) electrical devices
3) hardening alloys (as steel)
Related
periodic table
tungsten measurement; tungsten in specimen
General
trace element
metal
Properties
SIZE: AW = 183.85
atomic number
VALUE: 74
VALENCE: XE 4F4 5D4 6S2
Database Correlations
PUBCHEM cid=23964
References
- Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, Miriam-
Webster Inc. Springfield, MA 1990
- Chemical & Engineering News, Sept 8, 2003