Tungsten (W)
Tungsten is element 74, a transition metal in group 6, period 6. A neutral atom has 74 protons, 110 neutrons and 74 electrons, 2 of them valence electrons.
Transition metal- Atomic number
- 74
- Atomic mass
- 183.84 u
- Valence electrons
- 2*
- Protons · neutrons
- 74 · 110
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 32, 12, 2
- At room temperature
- solid
Bohr model of tungsten
The Bohr model draws tungsten as a nucleus of 74 protons and 110 neutrons, with its 74 electrons on 6 circular shells: 2 in shell 1, 8 in shell 2, 18 in shell 3, 32 in shell 4, 12 in shell 5, 2 in shell 6. Press Build the atom to watch the shells fill from the inside out. The outer ring (the P shell) is dashed: the electrons there are the ones that take part in chemistry.
Real electrons don't travel in neat circles. They live in fuzzy orbitals, shown below, but the Bohr picture is the quickest way to count shells and valence electrons.
Electron configuration of tungsten
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴
Short form (noble gas notation): [Xe] 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴. The [Xe] stands for the electrons of xenon, the noble gas before it.
How many valence electrons does tungsten have?
Tungsten has 2 valence electrons.
Tungsten is a transition metal, so its valence electrons are less clear-cut than for main-group elements. It has 2 electrons in its outermost shell (shell 6), and electrons in its inner d subshell can also take part in bonding.
Protons, neutrons and electrons
| Protons | 74 | equal to the atomic number |
|---|---|---|
| Electrons | 74 | equal to the protons in a neutral atom |
| Neutrons | 110 | mass number 184 − 74 protons |
Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). The count above uses the rounded atomic mass, the way it's taught in class.
Tungsten properties
| Symbol | W |
|---|---|
| Category | Transition metal |
| Group · period · block | 6 · 6 · d |
| Atomic mass | 183.84 u |
| State at 25 °C | solid |
| Melting point | 3,695 K (3,420 °C, 6,190 °F) |
| Boiling point | 5,828 K (5,550 °C, 10,000 °F) |
| Density | 19.3 g/cm³ |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | 2.36 |
| Atomic radius | 210 pm |
| First ionization energy | 7.98 eV |
| Electron affinity | 0.815 eV |
| Oxidation states | +6 |
| Common ion charge | +6 |
| Discovered | 1783 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele |
Where tungsten sits on the periodic table
Group 6: Chromium, Molybdenum, Seaborgium.
Questions about tungsten
How many valence electrons does tungsten have?
Tungsten has 2 valence electrons in its outer shell; inner d or f electrons can also bond.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does tungsten have?
A neutral tungsten atom has 74 protons and 74 electrons. Its most common form has about 110 neutrons (mass number 184 − 74 protons).
What is the electron configuration of tungsten?
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴, written in short form as [Xe] 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴.
What does the Bohr model of tungsten look like?
A nucleus of 74 protons and 110 neutrons, circled by 6 electron shells holding 2, 8, 18, 32, 12, 2 electrons.
What is the atomic number of tungsten?
74. The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus, and it is what makes an atom tungsten.