GROUP 5: VANADIUM GROUP

Vanadium Group Overview

Also known as: Vanadium family

Group Members: Vanadium (V), Niobium (Nb), Tantalum (Ta), Dubnium (Db)

Common Properties: All are transition metals, form +5 oxidation state, high melting points, corrosion-resistant

V

Vanadium

Transition Metal
Atomic Number 23
Atomic Mass 50.94 u
Electron Config [Ar] 3d³ 4s²
Common Ions V⁵⁺, V⁴⁺, V³⁺
Melting Point 1910°C
Density 6.11 g/cm³
Vanadium was discovered twice - first in 1801 and then again in 1831!

Properties: Hard, silvery-gray, ductile, corrosion-resistant

Applications: Steel alloys, tools, jet engines, batteries, catalysts

Drag to rotate • Scroll to zoom
Nb

Niobium

Superconductor
Atomic Number 41
Atomic Mass 92.91 u
Electron Config [Kr] 4d⁴ 5s¹
Common Ions Nb⁵⁺, Nb³⁺
Melting Point 2477°C
Density 8.57 g/cm³
Niobium is used in the Large Hadron Collider for superconducting magnets!

Properties: Ductile, paramagnetic, superconductor at low temperatures

Applications: Superconducting magnets, jewelry, medical implants, particle accelerators

Drag to rotate • Scroll to zoom
Ta

Tantalum

Corrosion-Resistant
Atomic Number 73
Atomic Mass 180.95 u
Electron Config [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d³ 6s²
Common Ions Ta⁵⁺
Melting Point 3017°C
Density 16.69 g/cm³
Tantalum is named after Tantalus from Greek mythology because it's "tantalizingly" insoluble in acids!

Properties: Highly corrosion-resistant, hard, blue-gray, excellent conductor

Applications: Electronics capacitors, surgical instruments, chemical equipment, missile parts

Drag to rotate • Scroll to zoom
Db

Dubnium

Synthetic
Atomic Number 105
Atomic Mass 268 u
Electron Config [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d³ 7s²
Common Ions Db⁵⁺
Half-life ~1 day
Stability Synthetic
Dubnium is so radioactive that its chemistry is mostly theoretical!

Properties: Synthetic radioactive metal, very short-lived

Applications: Scientific research only

Drag to rotate • Scroll to zoom