Tungsten (W)

Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as chemical compounds, having the highest melting point.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Spanish brothers Juan Jose and Fausto Elhuyar first isolated tungsten in 1783 from wolframite, following Scheele's identification of tungstic acid.
• It has the highest melting point of any metal at 3,422 degrees Celsius and nearly the same density as gold.
• Tungsten made incandescent lamp filaments possible, and tungsten carbide dominates cutting tools, while the pure metal serves as X-ray tube targets.

Specifications & Metrics

• NUM: 74
• SYMBOL: W
• CATEGORY: Transition Metal