Periodic table / Tungsten

Overview

Tungsten, also known as wolfram, is a chemical element with symbol W and atomic number 74. The word tungsten comes from the Swedish language tung sten, which directly translates to heavy stone. Its name in Swedish is volfram, however, in order to distinguish it from scheelite, which in Swedish is alternatively named tungsten.

Electron configuration

The electron configuration of Tungsten is [Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2, with electron shells of 2, 8, 18, 32, 12, 2.

Physical and chemical properties

Tungsten is classified as a transition metal. It has an atomic mass of 183.841 and exists as a solid at standard conditions, appearing as grayish white, lustrous.

Real-world uses of Tungsten

As a transition metal, Tungsten is typically used in alloys, industrial manufacturing, electronics, or as a catalyst in chemical reactions.

Interesting facts about Tungsten

• Tungsten has the atomic number 74 and chemical symbol W.
• It belongs to period 6, group 6 of the periodic table.
• Tungsten was discovered by Carl Wilhelm Scheele.

Explore Tungsten interactively

Want to compare Tungsten with other elements or see it highlighted on the full table? Open the interactive periodic table and click on W to explore properties, trends, and neighboring elements. You can also test your knowledge with our periodic table quiz game.