Tungsten (W)
"Meet 'The Indomitable W,' the ultimate heavy metal hero! With an impenetrable core and a ridiculously high melting point, W withstands any fiery challenge, making even diamonds look soft."
A memorable persona to anchor W in your mind.
19.25
Grams per cm³
3414
Celsius (°C)
210
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
Remember those old light bulbs? Tungsten was the bright spark making them glow!
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1783
Discovered By
Fausto & Juan José Elhuyar
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the Swedish ''tung sten'' meaning heavy stone."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
183.84 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
5555°C
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f145d46s2
1st Ionization Energy
7.98 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"A lustrous, silvery-white metal that feels surprisingly weighty for its size."
Did You Know?
Melting Point Master: Tungsten boasts the highest melting point of *any metal* – a blistering 3422 °C (6192 °F)! It laughs in the face of extreme heat.
The 'W' Mystery: Its atomic symbol 'W' comes from its ancient German name, 'Wolfram,' which means 'wolf's foam.' Miners coined this because the mineral would 'eat away' at tin ore during smelting, much like a wolf devouring sheep.
Light Bulb's Secret: Before LEDs, tungsten was the glowing heart of incandescent light bulbs. Its insane melting point allowed it to get super hot and bright without turning into a puddle.
Heavyweight Champion: This element is incredibly dense, nearly twice as heavy as lead! It's why a small piece feels so substantial for its size.