Tungsten

74
W
183.85

tungsten.gif (2952 bytes)
Tungsten is use in lamp filament.

Properties
Symbol Name Atomic Number Atomic Weight Group Number
W Tungsten 74 183.85 6

Description

Standard State: solid at 298 K
Color: Grayish white lustrous

In 1779 Peter Woulfe examined the mineral now known as wolframite and concluded it must contain a new substance.  Scheele, in 1781, found that a new acid could be made from tungsten.  Scheele and Berman suggested the possibility of obtaining a new metal by reducing this acid.

Tungsten has the highest melting point and lowest vapor pressure of all metals, and at temperatures over 1650°C has the highest tensile strength. 

Tungsten and its alloys are used extensively for filaments for electric lamp, electron and television tubes, and for metal evaporation work; for electrical contact points for automobiles distributors.