Tantalum
TRANSITION METAL
Bohr Model: Electrons arranged in energy shells around the nucleus.
Tantalum is a chemical element with symbol Ta and atomic number 73. Previously known as tantalium, its name comes from Tantalus, an antihero from Greek mythology. Tantalum is a rare, hard, blue-gray, lustrous transition metal that is highly corrosion-resistant.
Quick Facts
Atomic Number 73
Period 6
Group 5
Phase Solid
Appearance gray blue
About Transition Metals
Transition metals are elements with partially filled d-orbitals. They are hard, have high melting points, and often form colored compounds.
History
Discovered By Anders Gustaf Ekeberg
Named By Unknown
Physical Properties
Atomic Mass 180.947882
Density 16.69 g/L
Molar Heat 25.36 J/(mol·K)
Phase Transition (Melting & Boiling Points)
Tantalum melts at 3290 K and boils at 5731 K.
Atomic Properties
Electron Config [Xe] 4f14 5d3 6s2
Electronegativity 1.5
Electron Affinity 31 kJ/mol
Ionization Energy 761 kJ/mol
Orbital Filling Diagram
This diagram visualizes electron configuration according to the Aufbau principle and Hund's rule.
Boxes represent orbitals (s, p, d, f), while arrows indicate electrons with spin up or down.
Electrons fill lower energy levels first and occupy orbitals singly before pairing.
Emission Spectrum
Photograph
External Resources
Study Guide
Atomic Number
The number of protons in the nucleus, which defines the element.
Atomic Mass
The average mass of an atom, including protons and neutrons.
Electronegativity
A measure of how strongly an atom attracts electrons in a bond.
Ionization Energy
The energy required to remove an electron from an atom.
Electron Config
The arrangement of electrons in the atom's energy shells.