Tantalum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tantalum, ₇₃Ta

Tantalum
Pronunciation	/ˈtæntələm/ ​(TAN-təl-əm)
Appearance	gray blue
Standard atomic weight Ar, std(Ta)	180.94788(2)
Tantalum in the periodic table
Hydrogen Helium Lithium Beryllium Boron Carbon Nitrogen Oxygen Fluorine Neon Sodium Magnesium Aluminium Silicon Phosphorus Sulfur Chlorine Argon Potassium Calcium Scandium Titanium Vanadium Chromium Manganese Iron Cobalt Nickel Copper Zinc Gallium Germanium Arsenic Selenium Bromine Krypton Rubidium Strontium Yttrium Zirconium Niobium Molybdenum Technetium Ruthenium Rhodium Palladium Silver Cadmium Indium Tin Antimony Tellurium Iodine Xenon Caesium Barium Lanthanum Cerium Praseodymium Neodymium Promethium Samarium Europium Gadolinium Terbium Dysprosium Holmium Erbium Thulium Ytterbium Lutetium Hafnium Tantalum Tungsten Rhenium Osmium Iridium Platinum Gold Mercury (element) Thallium Lead Bismuth Polonium Astatine Radon Francium Radium Actinium Thorium Protactinium Uranium Neptunium Plutonium Americium Curium Berkelium Californium Einsteinium Fermium Mendelevium Nobelium Lawrencium Rutherfordium Dubnium Seaborgium Bohrium Hassium Meitnerium Darmstadtium Roentgenium Copernicium Nihonium Flerovium Moscovium Livermorium Tennessine Oganesson Nb ↑ Ta ↓ Db hafnium ← tantalum → tungsten
Atomic number (Z)	73
Group	group 5
Period	period 6
Block	d
Electron configuration	[Xe] 4f14 5d3 6s2
Electrons per shell	2, 8, 18, 32, 11, 2
Physical properties
Phase at STP	solid
Melting point	3290 K ​(3017 °C, ​5463 °F)
Boiling point	5731 K ​(5458 °C, ​9856 °F)
Density (near r.t.)	16.69 g/cm3
when liquid (at m.p.)	15 g/cm3
Heat of fusion	36.57 kJ/mol
Heat of vaporization	753 kJ/mol
Molar heat capacity	25.36 J/(mol·K)
Vapor pressure P (Pa) 1 10 100 1 k 10 k 100 k at T (K) 3297 3597 3957 4395 4939 5634
Atomic properties
Oxidation states	−3, −1, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5 (a mildly acidic oxide)
Electronegativity	Pauling scale: 1.5
Ionization energies	1st: 761 kJ/mol 2nd: 1500 kJ/mol
Atomic radius	empirical: 146 pm
Covalent radius	170±8 pm
Spectral lines of tantalum
Other properties
Natural occurrence	primordial
Crystal structure	​body-centered cubic (bcc) α-Ta
Crystal structure	​tetragonal β-Ta
Speed of sound thin rod	3400 m/s (at 20 °C)
Thermal expansion	6.3 µm/(m⋅K) (at 25 °C)
Thermal conductivity	57.5 W/(m⋅K)
Electrical resistivity	131 nΩ⋅m (at 20 °C)
Magnetic ordering	paramagnetic
Molar magnetic susceptibility	+154.0·10−6 cm3/mol (293 K)
Young's modulus	186 GPa
Shear modulus	69 GPa
Bulk modulus	200 GPa
Poisson ratio	0.34
Mohs hardness	6.5
Vickers hardness	870–1200 MPa
Brinell hardness	440–3430 MPa
CAS Number	7440-25-7
History
Discovery	Anders Gustaf Ekeberg (1802)
Recognized as a distinct element by	Heinrich Rose (1844)
Main isotopes of tantalum
Iso­tope Abun­dance Half-life (t1/2) Decay mode Pro­duct 177Ta syn 56.56 h ε 177Hf 178Ta syn 2.36 h ε 178Hf 179Ta syn 1.82 y ε 179Hf 180Ta syn 8.125 h ε 180Hf β− 180W 180mTa 0.012% stable 181Ta 99.988% stable 182Ta syn 114.43 d β− 182W 183Ta syn 5.1 d β− 183W

Tantalum in a glass tube

Tantalum is a fascinating chemical element that you might not have heard much about! It has the chemical symbol Ta and its atomic number is 73. This means each atom of Tantalum has 73 protons in its center. Tantalum is a rare and very hard metal with a cool blue-gray color. Scientists group it with other metals called transition metals.

One of the best things about Tantalum is that it doesn't easily rust or wear away. You can find this special metal in a mineral called tantalite.

What is Tantalum?

Tantalum is a very strong and shiny metal. It's known for being super resistant to heat and chemicals. This means it doesn't react much with other substances, which makes it very useful for many things. It can also conduct electricity very well.

Where is Tantalum Found?

Tantalum is not found everywhere on Earth. It is a rare element, mostly found in a mineral called tantalite. Large amounts of tantalite are mined in places like Australia, Brazil, Canada, and some parts of Africa. Extracting Tantalum from this mineral is a complex process.

What is Tantalum Used For?

Because Tantalum is so strong and doesn't corrode, it's used in many important technologies.

Electronics and Gadgets

Tantalum is a key material in making tiny, powerful electronic parts called capacitors. These capacitors store electrical energy and are found in almost all modern electronics. Think about your smartphones, laptops, and video game consoles – they all likely have Tantalum inside!

Medical Uses

Since Tantalum is not harmful to the human body and doesn't react with body fluids, it's used in medicine. Doctors use it for things like surgical tools, implants, and even in some artificial joints.

Other Cool Uses

Tantalum is also used to make special alloys (mixtures of metals) that are very strong and resistant to heat. These alloys are used in jet engines, chemical processing equipment, and even in some types of jewelry.

Images for kids

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  Tantalite mineral from Australia

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  A Tantalum electrolytic capacitor, used in electronics

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  Bimetallic coins from Kazakhstan with a Tantalum center

See also

In Spanish: Tántalo (elemento) para niños