The Element Niobium


Previously known as columbium, this element was renamed as niobium in 1950 by IUPAC. It is a rare element that is a soft, gray, ductile transition metal, which is found in pyrochlore and columbite. It takes on a bluish tinge when exposed to air at room temperature for extended periods and begins to oxidize in air at 200C. A remarkable incident that adds niobium to history is Sierra Leone making a coin honoring Pope John Paul II that contained a disc of 24 carat gold surrounded by a ring of purple-tinted niobium, in 2005.

Among its few industrial uses, niobium places a role as a component of some stainless steel and an alloy of some nonferrous metals which are used as structural components of the modern automobiles and in pipe line constructions.

Atomic Number & Chemical Properties


Element Basics:

Chemical Symbol: Nb
Atomic Number: 41
Atomic Weight: 92.90638
Element Classification: Transition Metal
Discovered By: Charles Hatchet
Date of Discovery: 1801 (England)
Origin of Name: Niobe; daughter of the mythical Greek king Tantalus.

How to Recognize it at a Party:

Shiny white, soft, ductile metal

Seriously Atomic Information:

Density (g/cc): 8.57
Melting Point (°K): 2741
Boiling Point (°K): 5015
Atomic Radius (pm): 146
Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 10.8
Covalent Radius (pm): 134
Ionic Radius: 69 (+5e)
Pauling Negativity Number: 1.6
First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 663.6
Oxidation States: 5, 3
Electronic Configuration: [Kr] 4d4 5s1

Getting Intimate with Niobium:

Lattice Structure: Body-Centered Cubic (BCC)
Lattice Constant (Å): 3.300
Lattice C/A Ratio: n/a
Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 0.268
Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 26.8
Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 680
Thermal Conductivity (@25°C W/m K):
Debye Temperature (°K): 275.00


Society's Questions About Niobium:

Have you ever wondered what everyone else in the world thinks about Niobium? Is anyone else looking for it too? If so, why? What do they want?

The following list shows the most common online questions about the element Niobium. Are your questions the same or different from everyone else's?

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