Page 91 - The Periodic Table Book

74
W Tungsten

State: Solid
74 74 110 Discovery: 1783

Forms

This dark, metallic This mineral is
mineral contains the main source Transition Metals
tungsten and iron. of pure tungsten. Wolframite

Ferberite

Pure tungsten is
a hard, grey metal.

Cylinder of pure tungsten refined in a laboratory

Uses Tungsten filaments

Tungsten Light bulb are becoming less
popular as they are
not energy-efficient.
Drill bit pigments Fishing sinker
were in use in
Chinese porcelain A tungsten sinker
This drill bit has a coating 350 years ago. is preferred to a
of tungsten carbide, which lead one because
protects it from damage. it is not poisonous.

Tungsten has the highest melting point tungsten carbide is used to harden objects
of any metal: it turns to liquid at a searing such as drill bits. Tungsten’s high melting
3,414°C (6,177.2°F). It is a very dense metal, point allows it to be used in the filaments
and its name comes from the Swedish phrase of light bulbs. This element is also useful
for “heavy stone”. This metal is usually obtained in producing weights, such as sinkers
from the mineral wolframite. A compound called used with fishing lures. 89

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