Wikijunior:The Elements/Vanadium

Shows the position of vanadium on the periodic chart.

Vanadium's symbol on the Periodic Table

Vanadium

What does it look like?

Vanadium is a shiny, light grey, ductile, metallic-looking solid and strong blue-gray metal at room temperature. Its melting point is about 1,900°C. Its boiling point is about 3,000°C

How was it discovered?

At first, Vanadium was discovered by Del Rio in 1801 but he thought that he had made some mistakes because of the French chemists. They said that Vanadium was similar to the chromium. In 1830, Vanadium was rediscovered by the Swedish chemist Nil Gabriel Sefström at Stockholm.

Where did its name come from?

It was named for the Scandinavian goddess, Vanadis.

Did You Know?

• A higher amount of vanadium can be found in oceanic animals than those living on land.
• Firstly, it was introduced as “rionium" but this name was rejected.
• Most of the vanadium in the world is mined in three countries: South Africa, China, and Russia.

What are its uses?

Vanadium is used in most alloys (the mixture of the metals), especially in making metals that don't rust. It is also used to produce a superconductive magnet.

Is it dangerous?

Vanadium can be toxic but Its effects are not very serious. It can harm the lungs if being taken in a large amount. However, if you work with Vanadium everyday, it could be serious.