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Understanding the element
Tantalum (Ta) is chemical element 73. It belongs to the transition metals, and its reference state at room temperature is a solid. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
Where do we encounter it?
In practice, it turns up most often in capacitors, implants and superalloys.
capacitorsimplantssuperalloys
Standard atomic weight180.94788(2)
What its position in the table tells us
Tantalum sits in period 6, group 5 and the D block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Tantalum has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Tantalum has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses