What is Vanadium? | Types, Definition, Structure, Function & Facts
What is Vanadium?
Vanadium is the 1st element in the 5th column of the periodic table. It is classified as a transition metal. The vanadium atom has 23 electrons and 23 protons. There are 28 neutrons in the most abundant isotope.
Characteristics and Properties
Under normal conditions, vanadium is a hard silver-gray metal. It is very ductile, ductile and corrosion resistant. Vanadium is also a fairly inactive element and does not react with water or oxygen at room temperature.
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Many vanadium compounds are considered toxic and should be handled with care.
Highlights of Vanadium:
| Symbol | V |
| Atomic Number | 23 |
| Atomic Weight | 50.94 |
| Classification | Transition metal |
| Phase at Room Temperature | Solid |
| Density | 6.0 grams per cm cubed |
| Melting Point | 1910°C, 3470°F |
| Boiling Point | 3407°C, 6165°F |
| Discovered by | Andres Manuel del Rio in 1801What is Vanadium? |
Where is Vanadium found on Earth?
Vanadium is found in many minerals in the earth’s crust. It is not found as a free-form element in nature. Some minerals that contain vanadium include vanadinite, carnotite, and magnetite. The majority of vanadium production comes from magnetite. About 98% of mined vanadium ore is mined in South Africa, Russia and China.
How is Vanadium used today?
The majority of vanadium is used by industry in the form of an alloy to improve the strength of steel. Vanadium steel is used to make high-end automotive parts as well as bicycle frames. Vanadium is also alloyed with aluminum and titanium to create a very strong alloy used for special applications such as dental implants and jet engines.
Other uses of vanadium include superconducting magnets, ceramics, glass, and batteries.
How was Vanadium discovered?
Vanadium was first discovered by Spanish scientist Andres Manuel del Rio in 1801. However, Del Rio was later convinced by other scientists that what he discovered was indeed a chromium form.
The element was rediscovered by the Swedish chemist Nils Sefstrom in 1830. It was first isolated by the English chemist Sir Henry E. Roscoe in 1867.
Where did Vanadium get its name?
Vanadium gets its name from the Scandinavian goddess of beauty “Vanadis”. Nils Sefstrom names the element.
Isotopes
Vanadium has a naturally stable isotope of vanadium-51.
Interesting Facts about Vanadium
Vanadinite, a vanadium-containing mineral, has a deep red color.
One of the earliest uses of vanadium was in the steel frame of the Model T Ford of 1908.
It has highly colored oxidation states including purple (+2), green (+3), blue (+4) and yellow (+5).
Vanadium has gone by several other names including panchromium and erythronium.