W
Tungsten
Atomic number: 74Mass: 183.84 uCategory: Transition Metal
About Tungsten
Tungsten has the highest melting point of all elements. It is a hard, steel-grey metal with the highest melting point of any pure metal (3,422°C or 6,192°F). Its symbol W comes from the German 'Wolfram'.
Properties
Period
6
Group
6
Block
D
Category
Transition Metal
Electronegativity
2.36 (Pauling)
Ionization Energy
770 kJ/mol
Melting Point
3695 K (3422°C)
Boiling Point
6203 K (5930°C)
Density
19.25 g/cm³
Oxidation States
+4, +6
Electron Configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d⁴ 6s²
[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s²
Shell 1:2e⁻
Shell 2:8e⁻
Shell 3:18e⁻
Shell 4:32e⁻
Shell 5:12e⁻
Shell 6:2e⁻
Real-World Uses
Light bulb filaments
Cutting tools
X-ray tubes
Rocket nozzles
Armour-piercing ammunition
Fun Fact
Tungsten has the highest melting point of any element — it could sit in the flames of a furnace while still remaining solid!