73
Tantalum
Atomic Number73
Atomic Mass180.9 u
CategoryTransition Metal
State at Room TempSolid
Year Discovered1802
About Tantalum
Named after Tantalus of Greek myth, punished with water he could never drink, because tantalum shrugs off acid attack. Tantalum capacitors are small and reliable, hiding inside nearly every phone, laptop, and car. The metal is so biocompatible that it is used for bone plates and skull repairs. Its ore, coltan, is abundant in Congo and has funded wars.
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