Tantalum

Arihant Jain
6th Period
Tantalum’s History

• Tantalum was first discovered by a man named Anders Ekeberg, in 1802.

• Tantalum was found in both Finland and Sweden, and was compared with
Niobium because of their identical properties.
• De Marignac was the first to show the impure metallic form of Tantalum –
by heating it with hydrogen – and Werner von Bolton was the first to make
pure ductile metal.
• Tantalum’s name comes from the Greek mythology character Tantalus.
The Element of Tantalum

• Tantalums:
• Number of Protons: 73
• Number of Electrons: 73
• Isotopes: tantalum-180 (Unstable); tantalum-181 (Stable)
• Group on PTE: 5
• Number of Energy Levels: 6
• Number of Valance Electrons: 5
Tantalum’s Physical Properties

• Tantalum is a malleable and ductile element that can be formed into

different shapes.
• Its polished state has a shiny, silvery luster.
• Tantalum has a boiling point of 9,804°F, and a melting point of 5,425°F.
• Its density is 16.69 g/cm³ (grams per cubic centimeter).
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“Raw
Tantalum’s Chemical Properties

• Tantalum is highly flammable, it’s even airborne.

• Because it’s flammable, Tantalum isn’t that reactive, but when it comes to
oxidizing substances like fluorine, it reacts fast.
• One exception is carbon – Tantalum reacts fast with carbon to make
Tantalum Carbide, which is a brittle powder.
• It does not rust, and blocks off any corrosion.
• Tantalum is also insoluble in most liquids.
The Uses of Tantalum

• Tantalum has many uses, some related to steel and metal.

• It is used to help resistors and capacitors to send and receive electrical
signals, as well as to help form their shape.
• Because of Tantalum’s great ductile ability, it is used as an alloy to form
barbed fences.
• The metal that makes medical and dental tools is mostly Tantalum.
• Most rings have a large amount of Tantalum in it, which is why jewelry
makers can give them a perfect shape.
Fun Facts about Tantalum

• Tantalum is most commonly found in North African countries, Australia,

Canada, Portugal, and a few South American countries.
• It can only be found in a mineral called columbite-tantalite.
• Niobium is a very similar element to Tantalum. It has the same electrical
properties, but different in density. The combination of these two makes
columbite-tantalite.
• Tantalum-180 is actually the least common, or scarcest isotope in the
entire universe.
• As mentioned before, factory-manufactured Tantalum is
used to make capacitors for motherboards.