Atomic Number: 73 Period Number: 6 Group Number: 5
Tantalum is a rare, hard and blue-gray transition metal. Tantalite, microlite, wodginite, polycrase are main source for tantalum ores. Tantalum is very stable at room temperature and it is only attacked by hydrofluoric acid, acidic solutions of the fluoride ion, and free sulfur trioxide. There are two isotopes of tantalum in nature: 180Ta and 181Ta.
Tantalum wire is used as a filament for evaporating other metals. Tantalum is incorporated into a variety of alloys, conferring high melting point, ductility, strength, and corrosion resistance.Tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) films are stable, with desirable dielectric and rectifyingproperties. The metal is used in chemical process equipment, vacuum furnaces, capacitors, nuclear reactors, and aircraft parts. Tantalum oxide may be used to make a glass with a high index of refraction, with applications including use for camera lenses. Tantalum is immune to body liquids and is a non-irritating metal. Therefore, it has widespread surgical applications.
Tantalum forms a lot of useful compounds. Tantalum carbide (TaC) is one of the hardest materials known and is used on the cutting edges of high-speed machine tools.
Physical and Chemical properties:
Atomic Weight: 180.94788
Melting Point: 3290 K
Boiling Point: 5731 K
Density: 16.4 g/cm3
Phase at Room Temperature: Solid
Ionization Energy: 7.89 eV
Oxidation State: +5
Wikipedia - Basics on Tantalum
WebElements - The basic elements of Tantalum
Jefferson Lab - Learning about Tantalum