73TaTantalum180.947882[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d³ 6s²
transition metal
Tantalum
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.
A stylized shell model. Electrons are quantum objects, not particles following these literal paths. Sizes and motion are illustrative.
Electrons by shell
Electron configuration
4f14
5d3
6s2
54 is the [Xe] core total across five shells.
At a glance
- Atomic number
- 73
- Atomic mass
- 180.947882 u
- Phase
- Solid
- Density
- 16.69 g/cm³
- Melting point
- 3,290 K
- Boiling point
- 5,731 K
- First ionization energy
- 761 kJ/mol
- Electronegativity
- 1.5
- Electron affinity
- 31 kJ/mol
- Molar heat capacity
- 25.36 J/(mol·K)
- Period
- 6
- Appearance
- gray blue
Conditions and isotopes affect measured properties. Some properties of short-lived elements are predicted. Electronegativity uses the Pauling scale.
Keep exploring
Explore the stories, imagery, and reference data in more depth. Properties with no value in the reference are marked unavailable.