Vanadium Element Information, Facts, Properties, Trends, Uses, Comparison with other elements
In this comprehensive guide, you'll learn about Vanadium's unique chemical and physical properties, trends in the periodic table, isotopes, and its historical significance. We'll also cover its abundance, crystal structure, electron configuration, and health & safety guidelines. Explore how Vanadium compares with other elements and discover its many uses.
Vanadium is a chemical element with symbol V and atomic number 23. It is a hard, silvery grey, ductile and malleable Transition Metal. The element is found only in chemically combined form in nature, but once isolated artificially, the formation of an oxide layer stabilizes the free metal somewhat against further oxidation.
It belongs to group 5 of the periodic table having trivial name null. You can also download Printable Periodic Table of Elements Flashcards for Vanadium in a PDF format.
Vanadium Facts
Read key information and facts about element Vanadium
| Name | Vanadium |
| Atomic Number | 23 |
| Atomic Symbol | V |
| Atomic Weight | 50.9415 |
| Phase | Solid |
| Color | Silver |
| Appearance | blue-silver-grey metal |
| Classification | Transition Metal |
| Natural Occurance | Primordial |
| Group in Periodic Table | 5 |
| Group Name | vanadium family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 4 |
| Block in Periodic Table | d-block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Ar] 3d3 4s2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 11, 2 |
| Melting Point | 2183 K |
| Boiling Point | 3680 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7440-62-2 |
How to Locate Vanadium on Periodic Table
Periodic table is arranged by atomic number, number of protons in the nucleus which is same as number of electrons. The atomic number increases from left to right. Periodic table starts at top left ( Atomic number 1) and ends at bottom right (atomic number 118). Therefore you can directly look for atomic number 23 to find Vanadium on periodic table.
Another way to read periodic table and locate an element is by using group number (column) and period number (row). To locate Vanadium on periodic table look for cross section of group 5 and period 4 in the modern periodic table.
Vanadium History
The element Vanadium was discovered by M. del Río in year 1801 in Mexico and Sweden. Vanadium was first isolated by N.G.Sefström in 1830. Vanadium derived its name from Vanadis, an Old Norse name for the Scandinavian goddess Freyja.
| Discovered By | M. del Río |
| Discovery Date | 1801 in Mexico and Sweden |
| First Isolation | 1830 |
| Isolated by | N.G.Sefström |
Río found the metal in vanadinite but retracted the claim after Hippolyte Victor Collet-Descotilsdisputed it. Sefström isolated and named it, and later it was shown that Río had been right in the first place.
Vanadium Uses
Vanadium is used in jet engines and aircraft components. All of its uses require it to be mixed with another metal or element, such as Vanadium-gallium tape used in magnets. About 80% of the vanadium created is used as a steel additive to produce a tough alloy.
- Alloys: Vanadium is used in steel alloys to improve strength, toughness, and wear resistance.
- Energy Storage: Vanadium is used in vanadium redox flow batteries for large-scale energy storage systems.
Vanadium Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
The table below shows the abundance of Vanadium in Universe, Sun, Meteorites, Earth's Crust, Oceans and Human Body.
| ppb by weight (1ppb =10^-7 %) | ppb by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %) | |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 1000 | 20 |
| Abundance in Sun | 400 | 9 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 62000 | 23000 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 190000 | 75000 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 1.5 | 0.18 |
| Abundance in Humans | 30 | 4 |
Crystal Structure of Vanadium
The solid state structure of Vanadium is Body Centered Cubic.
The Crystal structure can be described in terms of its unit Cell. The unit Cells repeats itself in three dimensional space to form the structure.
Unit Cell Parameters
The unit cell is represented in terms of its lattice parameters, which are the lengths of the cell edges Lattice Constants (a, b and c)
| a | b | c |
|---|---|---|
| 303 pm | 303 pm | 303 pm |
and the angles between them Lattice Angles (alpha, beta and gamma).
| alpha | beta | gamma |
|---|---|---|
| π/2 | π/2 | π/2 |
The positions of the atoms inside the unit cell are described by the set of atomic positions ( xi, yi, zi) measured from a reference lattice point.
The symmetry properties of the crystal are described by the concept of space groups. All possible symmetric arrangements of particles in three-dimensional space are described by the 230 space groups (219 distinct types, or 230 if chiral copies are considered distinct.
| Space Group Name | Im_ 3m |
| Space Group Number | 229 |
| Crystal Structure | Body Centered Cubic |
| Number of atoms per unit cell | 2 |
The number of atoms per unit cell in a simple cubic, face-centered cubic and body-centred cubic are 1,4,2 respectively.
Vanadium Atomic and Orbital Properties
Vanadium atoms have 23 electrons and the electronic shell structure is [2, 8, 11, 2] with Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) 4F3/2.
| Atomic Number | 23 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 23 |
| Number of Protons | 23 |
| Mass Number | 51 |
| Number of Neutrons | 28 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 11, 2 |
| Electron Configuration | [Ar] 3d3 4s2 |
| Valence Electrons | 3d3 4s2 |
| Valence (Valency) | 5 |
| Main Oxidation States | 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Oxidation States | -3, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 4F3/2 |
Bohr Atomic Model of Vanadium - Electrons per energy level
| n | s | p | d | f |
|---|
Ground State Electronic Configuration of Vanadium - neutral Vanadium atom
Abbreviated electronic configuration of Vanadium
The ground state abbreviated electronic configuration of Neutral Vanadium atom is [Ar] 3d3 4s2. The portion of Vanadium configuration that is equivalent to the noble gas of the preceding period, is abbreviated as [Ar]. For atoms with many electrons, this notation can become lengthy and so an abbreviated notation is used. This is important as it is the Valence electrons 3d3 4s2, electrons in the outermost shell that determine the chemical properties of the element.
Unabbreviated electronic configuration of neutral Vanadium
Complete ground state electronic configuration for the Vanadium atom, Unabbreviated electronic configuration
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d3 4s2
Electrons are filled in atomic orbitals as per the order determined by the Aufbau principle, Pauli Exclusion Principle and Hund’s Rule.
As per the Aufbau principle the electrons will occupy the orbitals having lower energies before occupying higher energy orbitals. According to this principle, electrons are filled in the following order: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p…
The Pauli exclusion principle states that a maximum of two electrons, each having opposite spins, can fit in an orbital.
Hund's rule states that every orbital in a given subshell is singly occupied by electrons before a second electron is filled in an orbital.
Atomic Structure of Vanadium
Vanadium atomic radius is 171 pm, while it's covalent radius is 125 pm.
| Atomic Radius Calculated | 171 pm(1.71 Å) |
| Atomic Radius Empirical | 135 pm (1.35 Å) |
| Atomic Volume | 8.3374 cm3/mol |
| Covalent Radius | 125 pm (1.25 Å) |
| Van der Waals Radius | - |
| Neutron Cross Section | 5.06 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.0033 |
Spectral Lines of Vanadium - Atomic Spectrum of Vanadium
A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from an excess or deficiency of photons in a narrow frequency range, compared with the nearby frequencies. Spectral lines are often used to identify atoms and molecules.
Spectral lines are the result of interaction between a quantum system and a single photon. A spectral line may be observed either as an emission line or an absorption line.
Spectral lines are highly atom-specific, and can be used to identify the chemical composition of any medium. Several elements, including helium, thallium, and caesium, were discovered by spectroscopic means. They are widely used to determine the physical conditions of stars and other celestial bodies that cannot be analyzed by other means.
Emission spectrum of Vanadium
Absorption spectrum of Vanadium
Vanadium Chemical Properties: Vanadium Ionization Energies and electron affinity
The electron affinity of Vanadium is 50.6 kJ/mol.
| Valence | 5 |
| Electronegativity | 1.63 |
| ElectronAffinity | 50.6 kJ/mol |
Ionization Energy of Vanadium
Ionization energy is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom or molecule.in chemistry, this energy is expresed in kilocalories per mole (kcal/mol) or kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).
Refer to table below for Ionization energies of Vanadium
Here are the ionization energies of Vanadium (V) both in electron volts (eV) and in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).
| Ionization energy number | Enthalpy in kJ/mol | Energy (eV) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 650.9 | 6.746 |
| 2nd | 1414 | 14.655 |
| 3rd | 2830 | 29.331 |
| 4th | 4507 | 46.712 |
| 5th | 6298.7 | 65.282 |
| 6th | 12363 | 128.134 |
| 7th | 14530 | 150.593 |
| 8th | 16730 | 173.395 |
| 9th | 19860 | 205.835 |
| 10th | 22240 | 230.502 |
| 11th | 24670 | 255.687 |
| 12th | 29730 | 308.131 |
| 13th | 32446 | 336.280 |
| 14th | 86450 | 895.994 |
| 15th | 94170 | 976.007 |
| 16th | 102300 | 1060.268 |
| 17th | 112700 | 1168.057 |
| 18th | 121600 | 1260.300 |
| 19th | 130700 | 1354.615 |
| 20th | 143400 | 1486.241 |
| 21st | 151440 | 1569.570 |
| 22nd | 661050 | 6851.324 |
| 23rd | 699144 | 7246.142 |
The conversion from kJ/mol to eV is done using the formula:
Energy (kJ/mol) = Energy (eV) x 96.485 Energy (kJ/mol)=Energy (eV)x96.485
where 1 eV = 96.485 kJ/mol.
1 electronvolt (eV) is equal to 96.485 kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol)
Vanadium Physical Properties
Refer to below table for Vanadium Physical Properties
| Density | 6.11 g/cm3(when liquid at m.p density is $5.5 g/cm3) |
| Molar Volume | 8.3374 cm3/mol |
Elastic Properties
| Young Modulus | 128 |
| Shear Modulus | 47 GPa |
| Bulk Modulus | 160 GPa |
| Poisson Ratio | 0.37 |
Hardness of Vanadium - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element
| Mohs Hardness | 7 MPa |
| Vickers Hardness | 628 MPa |
| Brinell Hardness | 628 MPa |
Vanadium Electrical Properties
Electrical resistivity measures element's electrical resistance or how strongly it resists electric current.The SI unit of electrical resistivity is the ohm-metre (Ω⋅m). While Electrical conductivity is the reciprocal of electrical resistivity. It represents a element's ability to conduct electric current. The SI unit of electrical conductivity is siemens per metre (S/m).
Vanadium is a conductor of electricity. Refer to table below for the Electrical properties of Vanadium
| Electrical conductors | Conductor |
| Electrical Conductivity | 5000000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 2e-7 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | 5.4 |
Vanadium Heat and Conduction Properties
| Thermal Conductivity | 31 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.0000084 /K |
Vanadium Magnetic Properties
| Magnetic Type | Paramagnetic |
| Curie Point | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | 6.28e-8 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | 3.199e-9 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | 0.0003837 |
Optical Properties of Vanadium
| Refractive Index | - |
Acoustic Properties of Vanadium
| Speed of Sound | 4560 m/s |
Vanadium Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
Refer to table below for Thermal properties of Vanadium
| Melting Point | 2183 K(1909.85 °C, 3469.730 °F) |
| Boiling Point | 3680 K(3406.85 °C, 6164.330 °F) |
| Critical Temperature | - |
| Superconducting Point | 5.4 |
Enthalpies of Vanadium
| Heat of Fusion | 22.8 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 453 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - |
Vanadium Isotopes - Nuclear Properties of Vanadium
Vanadium has 26 isotopes, with between 40 and 65 nucleons. Vanadium has 1 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
Isotopes of Vanadium - Naturally occurring stable Isotopes: 51V.
| Isotope | Z | N | Isotope Mass | % Abundance | T half | Decay Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40V | 23 | 17 | 40 | Synthetic | ||
| 41V | 23 | 18 | 41 | Synthetic | ||
| 42V | 23 | 19 | 42 | Synthetic | ||
| 43V | 23 | 20 | 43 | Synthetic | ||
| 44V | 23 | 21 | 44 | Synthetic | ||
| 45V | 23 | 22 | 45 | Synthetic | ||
| 46V | 23 | 23 | 46 | Synthetic | ||
| 47V | 23 | 24 | 47 | Synthetic | ||
| 48V | 23 | 25 | 48 | Synthetic | ||
| 49V | 23 | 26 | 49 | Synthetic | ||
| 50V | 23 | 27 | 50 | 0.25% | Stable | N/A |
| 51V | 23 | 28 | 51 | 99.75% | Stable | |
| 52V | 23 | 29 | 52 | Synthetic | ||
| 53V | 23 | 30 | 53 | Synthetic | ||
| 54V | 23 | 31 | 54 | Synthetic | ||
| 55V | 23 | 32 | 55 | Synthetic | ||
| 56V | 23 | 33 | 56 | Synthetic | ||
| 57V | 23 | 34 | 57 | Synthetic | ||
| 58V | 23 | 35 | 58 | Synthetic | ||
| 59V | 23 | 36 | 59 | Synthetic | ||
| 60V | 23 | 37 | 60 | Synthetic | ||
| 61V | 23 | 38 | 61 | Synthetic | ||
| 62V | 23 | 39 | 62 | Synthetic | ||
| 63V | 23 | 40 | 63 | Synthetic | ||
| 64V | 23 | 41 | 64 | Synthetic | ||
| 65V | 23 | 42 | 65 | Synthetic |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) identifies hazard class of all dangerous elements/goods/commodities either by its class (or division) number or name. The DOT has divided these materials into nine different categories, known as Hazard Classes.
| DOT Numbers | 3089 |
| DOT Hazard Class | 4.1 |
NFPA 704 is a Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response. NFPA is a standard maintained by the US based National Fire Protection Association.
The health (blue), flammability (red), and reactivity (yellow) rating all use a numbering scale ranging from 0 to 4. A value of zero means that the element poses no hazard; a rating of four indicates extreme danger.
| NFPA Fire Rating | 1 | Flash Points Above 93.3°C (200°F) |
| NFPA Health Rating | 2 | Flash Points Above 37.8°C (100°F) not exceeding 93.3°C (200°F) |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | 0 | Will not burn |
| NFPA Hazards |
| Autoignition Point | - |
| Flashpoint | - |
Database Search
List of unique identifiers to search the element in various chemical registry databases
| Database | Identifier number |
|---|---|
| CAS Number - Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) | CAS7440-62-2 |
| RTECS Number | - |
| CID Number | CID23990 |
| Gmelin Number | - |
| NSC Number | - |
Compare Vanadium with other elements
Compare Vanadium with Group 5, Period 4 and Transition Metal elements of the periodic table.
Compare Vanadium with all Group 5 elements
Compare Vanadium with all Period 4 elements
Compare Vanadium with all Transition Metal elements
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Vanadium