Compare Iron vs Tungsten: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Iron and Tungsten on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Iron and Tungsten comparison table side by side across over 90 properties. All the elements of similar categories show a lot of similarities and differences in their chemical, atomic, physical properties and uses. These similarities and dissimilarities should be known while we study periodic table elements. You can study the detailed comparison between Iron vs Tungsten with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare Fe vs W on more than 90 properties like electronegativity, oxidation state, atomic shells, orbital structure, Electronaffinity, physical states, electrical conductivity and many more. This in-depth comparison helps students, educators, researchers, and science enthusiasts understand the differences and similarities between Iron and Tungsten.
Iron and Tungsten Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Iron (Fe) and Tungsten (W), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 26 | 74 |
| Atomic Symbol | Fe | W |
| Atomic Weight | 55.845 | 183.84 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Gray | Gray |
| Metallic Classification | Transition Metal | Transition Metal |
| Group in Periodic Table | group 8 | group 6 |
| Group Name | iron family | chromium family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 4 | period 6 |
| Block in Periodic Table | d -block | d -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Ar] 3d6 4s2 | [Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 14, 2 | 2, 8, 18, 32, 12, 2 |
| Melting Point | 1811 K | 3695 K |
| Boiling Point | 3134 K | 5828 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7439-89-6 | CAS7440-33-7 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Iron | Neighborhood Elements of Tungsten |
History
| Parameter | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| History | The element Iron was discovered by Unknown in year Before 5000 BCE. Iron derived its name from English word (ferrum in Latin). | The element Tungsten was discovered by W. Scheele in year 1781 in Spain. Tungsten derived its name from the Swedish tung sten, 'heavy stone' (W is wolfram, the old name of the tungsten mineral wolframite). |
| Discovery | Unknown (Before 5000 BCE) | W. Scheele (1781) |
| Isolated | Egypt (4000 BCE) | J. and F. Elhuyar (1783) |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 1100000 / 20000 | 0.5 / 0.003 |
| Abundance in Sun | 1000000 / 30000 | 4 / 0.03 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 220000000 / 77000000 | 120 / 10 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 63000000 / 23000000 | 1100 / 120 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 3 / 0.33 | 0.12 / 0.0040 |
| Abundance in Humans | 60000 / 6700 | - / - |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 7.0923 cm3/mol | 9.47 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 156 pm | 193 pm |
| Covalent Radius | 125 pm | 146 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | - | - |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum |  |  |
| Absorption Spectrum |  |  |
| Lattice Constant | 286.65, 286.65, 286.65 pm | 316.52, 316.52, 316.52 pm |
| Lattice Angle | π/2, π/2, π/2 | π/2, π/2, π/2 |
| Space Group Name | Im_ 3m | Im_ 3m |
| Space Group Number | 229 | 229 |
| Crystal Structure | Body Centered Cubic  | Body Centered Cubic |
Atomic and Orbital Properties
| Property | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 26 | 74 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 26 | 74 |
| Number of Protons | 26 | 74 |
| Mass Number | 55.845 | 183.84 |
| Number of Neutrons | 30 | 110 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 14, 2 | 2, 8, 18, 32, 12, 2 |
| Electron Configuration | [Ar] 3d6 4s2 | [Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s2 |
| Valence Electrons | 3d6 4s2 | 5d4 6s2 |
| Oxidation State | 2, 3 | 4, 6 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 5D4 | 5D0 |
| Shell structure |  |  |
Isotopes and Nuclear Properties
Iron has 4 stable naturally occuring isotopes while Tungsten has 5 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| Known Isotopes | 45Fe, 46Fe, 47Fe, 48Fe, 49Fe, 50Fe, 51Fe, 52Fe, 53Fe, 54Fe, 55Fe, 56Fe, 57Fe, 58Fe, 59Fe, 60Fe, 61Fe, 62Fe, 63Fe, 64Fe, 65Fe, 66Fe, 67Fe, 68Fe, 69Fe, 70Fe, 71Fe, 72Fe | 158W, 159W, 160W, 161W, 162W, 163W, 164W, 165W, 166W, 167W, 168W, 169W, 170W, 171W, 172W, 173W, 174W, 175W, 176W, 177W, 178W, 179W, 180W, 181W, 182W, 183W, 184W, 185W, 186W, 187W, 188W, 189W, 190W, 191W, 192W |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 54Fe, 56Fe, 57Fe, 58Fe | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 180W, 182W, 183W, 184W, 186W |
| Neutron Cross Section | 2.56 | 18.4 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.0015 | 0.0036 |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 3 | 6 |
| Electronegativity | 1.83 Pauling Scale | 2.36 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | 2, 3 | 4, 6 |
| Electron Affinity | 15.7 kJ/mol | 78.6 kJ/mol |
| Ionization Energies | 1st: 762.5 kJ/mol 2nd: 1561.9 kJ/mol 3rd: 2957 kJ/mol 4th: 5290 kJ/mol 5th: 7240 kJ/mol 6th: 9560 kJ/mol 7th: 12060 kJ/mol 8th: 14580 kJ/mol 9th: 22540 kJ/mol 10th: 25290 kJ/mol 11th: 28000 kJ/mol 12th: 31920 kJ/mol 13th: 34830 kJ/mol 14th: 37840 kJ/mol 15th: 44100 kJ/mol 16th: 47206 kJ/mol 17th: 122200 kJ/mol 18th: 131000 kJ/mol 19th: 140500 kJ/mol 20th: 152600 kJ/mol 21st: 163000 kJ/mol 22nd: 173600 kJ/mol 23rd: 188100 kJ/mol 24th: 195200 kJ/mol 25th: 851800 kJ/mol 26th: 895161 kJ/mol | 1st: 770 kJ/mol 2nd: 1700 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Iron (7.874 g/cm³) is less dense than Tungsten (19.25 g/cm³). This means that a given volume of Tungsten will be heavier than the same volume of Iron. Tungsten is about 144.5 denser than Iron
| Property | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Gray | Gray |
| Density | 7.874 g/cm3 | 19.25 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | 6.98 g/cm3 | 17.6 g/cm3 |
| Molar Volume | 7.0923 cm3/mol | 9.47 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | 211 | 411 |
| Shear Modulus | 82 GPa | 161 GPa |
| Bulk Modulus | 170 GPa | 310 GPa |
| Poisson Ratio | 0.29 | 0.28 |
Hardness - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element | ||
| Mohs Hardness | 4 MPa | 7.5 MPa |
| Vickers Hardness | 608 MPa | 3430 MPa |
| Brinell Hardness | 490 MPa | 2570 MPa |
Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
| Property | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 80 W/(m K) | 170 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.0000118 /K | 0.0000045 /K |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 10000000 S/m | 20000000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 9.7e-8 m Ω | 5e-8 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | - | 0.015 |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Ferromagnetic | Paramagnetic |
| Curie Point | 1043 K | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | - | 4.59e-9 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | - | 8.44e-10 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | - | 0.0000884 |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | - | - |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | 4910 m/s | 5174 m/s |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 1811 K | 3695 K |
| Boiling Point | 3134 K | 5828 K |
| Critical Temperature | - | - |
| Superconducting Point | - | 0.015 |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 13.8 kJ/mol | 35 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 347 kJ/mol | 800 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - | - |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Iron | Tungsten |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7439-89-6 | CAS7440-33-7 |
| RTECS Number | RTECSNO4565500 | RTECSYO7175000 |
| DOT Hazard Class | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| DOT Numbers | 3089 | 3089 |
| EU Number | - | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | 1 | 2 |
| NFPA Health Rating | 1 | 1 |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | 0 | 1 |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | 100 °C | - |
| Flashpoint | - | - |
Compare Iron and Tungsten With Other Elements
Compare Iron and Tungsten with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howIron and Tungsten stack up against other elements of the periodic table. Use our interactive comparison tool to analyze 90+ properties across different metals, non-metals, metalloids, and noble gases. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in engineering, chemistry, electronics, biology, and material science.