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Elements for Kids

Vanadium

The element 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 1801


Vanadium is the first element in the fifth column of the periodic table. It is classified as a transition metal. Vanadium atoms have 23 electrons and 23 protons. There are 28 neutrons in the most abundant isotope.

Characteristics and Properties

Under standard conditions vanadium is a hard, silvery-gray metal. It is very ductile, malleable, and resistant to corrosion. Vanadium is also a fairly inactive element and will not react with water or oxygen at room temperature.

Many vanadium compounds are considered toxic and should be handled with care.

Where is vanadium found on Earth?

Vanadium is found in a wide variety of minerals in the Earth's crust. It is not found as a free form element in nature. Some minerals containing vanadium include vanadinite, carnotite, and magnetite. The majority of vanadium production comes from magnetite. Around 98% of the vanadium ore that is mined is mined in South Africa, Russia, and China.

How is vanadium used today?

The majority of the vanadium used by industry is as an alloy to improve the strength of steel. Vanadium steel is used to manufacture automobile components as well as high end bicycle frames. Vanadium is also alloyed with aluminum and titanium to create a very strong alloy that is used for special applications such as dental implants and jet engines.

Other applications of vanadium include superconducting magnets, ceramics, glass, and batteries.

How was it 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 had discovered was actually a form of chromium.

The element was rediscovered by Swedish chemist Nils Sefstrom in 1830. It was first isolated by 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". It was Nils Sefstrom who named the element.

Isotopes

Vanadium has one naturally occurring stable isotope which is vanadium-51.

Interesting Facts about Vanadium


More on the Elements and the Periodic Table

Elements
Periodic Table

Alkali Metals
Lithium
Sodium
Potassium

Alkaline Earth Metals
Beryllium
Magnesium
Calcium
Radium

Transition Metals
Scandium
Titanium
Vanadium
Chromium
Manganese
Iron
Cobalt
Nickel
Copper
Zinc
Silver
Platinum
Gold
Mercury
 Post-transition Metals
Aluminum
Gallium
Tin
Lead

Metalloids
Boron
Silicon
Germanium
Arsenic

Nonmetals
Hydrogen
Carbon
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Phosphorus
Sulfur
 Halogens
Fluorine
Chlorine
Iodine

Noble Gases
Helium
Neon
Argon

Lanthanides and Actinides
Uranium
Plutonium

More Chemistry Subjects

Matter
Atom
Molecules
Isotopes
Solids, Liquids, Gases
Melting and Boiling
Chemical Bonding
Chemical Reactions
Radioactivity and Radiation
 Mixtures and Compounds
Naming Compounds
Mixtures
Separating Mixtures
Solutions
Acids and Bases
Crystals
Metals
Salts and Soaps
Water
 Other
Glossary and Terms
Chemistry Lab Equipment
Organic Chemistry
Famous Chemists


Science >> Chemistry for Kids >> Periodic Table


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