Element 41
Niobium (Nb)
Niobium (Nb) is element 41 of the periodic table, a transition metal in period 5, group 5 (d-block) with an atomic mass of 92.906 and is a solid at standard conditions.
At a glance
- Atomic number
- 41
- Symbol
- Nb
- Atomic mass
- 92.906 u
- Category
- Transition metals
- Period
- 5
- Group
- 5
- Block
- d-block
- Phase at STP
- solid
Electron structure
- Electron configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d4 5s1
- Shorthand configuration
- [Kr] 4d4 5s1
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 12, 1
- Oxidation states
- -3, -1, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5
Physical properties
- Melting point
- 2750 K
- Boiling point
- 5017 K
- Density
- 8.57 g/cm3
- Phase
- solid
Atomic properties
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.6
- Atomic radius
- 198 pm
- Covalent radius
- 164 pm
- First ionization energy
- 652 kJ/mol
- Electron affinity
- 86 kJ/mol
Notable isotopes
| Isotope | Mass | Abundance | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nb-93 | 92.90638 | 100% | Stable |
Common uses
- Superconducting magnets
- Steel alloys
- Jewelry
- Jet engines
Discovery
- Year
- 1801
- Discovered by
- Charles Hatchett
- Country
- England