Tantalum Tech Report
Overview
Tantalum is a transition metal in Group 5 (VB) of the periodic table. The periodic table is a chart that shows how chemical elements are related to one another. Tantalum is one of the most inert metals known. An inert material is one that does not react with most other chemicals. Most metals, for example, dissolve in acids, but tantalum is not affected by acids or other strong chemicals. For this reason, tantalum is used to make chemical, medical, and dental equipment.
Credit for the discovery of tantalum goes to Swedish chemist and mineralogist Anders Gustaf Ekeberg (1767-1813). Ekeberg announced his discovery in 1802. However, chemists were uncertain about Ekeberg's new element for many years. They believed that another element, niobium, might be present along with tantalum. In fact, it was not until 50 years later that chemists could be sure that tantalum and niobium were really two different elements.
SYMBOL
Ta
ATOMIC NUMBER
73

ATOMIC MASS
180.9479

FAMILY
Group 5 (VB)
Transition metal

Physical properties
Tantalum is a very hard, malleable, ductile metal. Malleable means capable of being hammered into thin sheets. Ductile means capable of being drawn into thin wires. The metal has a silvery-bluish color when unpolished, but a bright silvery color when polished. It has a melting point of 2,996°C (5,425°F) and a boiling point of 5,429°C (9,804°F). It has the third highest melting point of all elements, after tungsten and rhenium. Tantalum's density is 16.69 grams per cubic centimeter.

Chemical properties
Tantalum is one of the most unreactive metals. At room temperature, it reacts only with fluorine gas and certain fluorine compounds. Fluorine, a non-metal, is the most active element. At higher temperatures, tantalum becomes more active. Above about 150°C (300°F), it reacts with acids and alkalis. An alkali is the chemical opposite of an add.