Thorium vs Niobium
Periodic Table
Symbol
Th
Nb
Group Number
0
18
5
13
Period Number
7
5
Block
f block
d block
Element Family
Actinide
Transition Metal
CAS Number
7440326
99+
7440031
99+
Space Group Name
P63/mmc
Im_ 3m
Space Group Number
194.00
5
229.00
1
Facts
Interesting Facts
- Thorium metal is used as an alternate option over Uranium for nuclear fuel.
- Thorium metals appearance (silvery white, soft) is somewhat similar to Lead metal.
- Niobium metal was used to get called Columbium in past.
- Niobium metal found freely in nature (abundance).
Sources
Found in Minerals, Mining
By-product of Tin Extraction, Found in Minerals, Mining, Ores of Minerals
History
Who Discovered
Jöns Jakob Berzelius
Charles Hatchett
Discovery
In 1829
In 1801
Abundance
Abundance In Universe
3 * 10-4 %
9
2 * 10-7 %
22
Abundance In Sun
~0.0004 %
9
~0.0000004 %
23
Abundance In Meteorites
0.05 %
11
0.00 %
35
Abundance In Earth's Crust
0.66 %
7
0.00 %
25
Abundance In Oceans
0.00 %
15
0.00 %
34
Uses
Uses & Benefits
- Thorium metal is used as an allying agent for Magnesium, It imparts greater strength and resistance to temperature.
- compound of this metal Thorium oxide is used as an industrial catalyst.
- Niobium alloys are used in jet engines and rockets and spacecraft, beams and girders for buildings and oil and gas pipelines.
- It is used superconducting magnets in particles accelerators, NMR and MRI equipment.
Industrial Uses
Aerospace Industry, Automobile Industry, Chemical Industry, Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
Aerospace Industry, Ammunition Industry, Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
Medical Uses
Dentistry, Surgical Instruments Manufacturing
NA
Other Uses
Alloys, Jewellery, Sculptures, Statues
Alloys
Biological Properties
Toxicity
Non Toxic
Low Toxic
Present in Human Body
Yes
Yes
In Blood
0.00 Blood/mg dm-3
33
0.01 Blood/mg dm-3
25
In Bone
0.02 p.p.m.
29
0.07 p.p.m.
25
Physical Properties
Melting Point
1,750.00 °C
17
2,468.00 °C
6
Boiling Point
4,790.00 °C
8
2,468.00 °C
99+
Appearance
Physical State
Solid
Solid
Color
Silver
Gray
Luster
NA
Metallic
Hardness
Mohs Hardness
3.00
12
6.00
6
Brinell Hardness
390.00 MPa
29
735.00 MPa
14
Vickers Hardness
295.00 MPa
29
870.00 MPa
12
Speed of Sound
2,490.00 m/s
36
3,480.00 m/s
21
Optical Properties
Allotropes
No
No
α Allotropes
Not Available
Not Available
β Allotropes
Not Available
Not Available
γ Allotropes
Not Available
Not Available
Chemical Properties
Chemical Formula
Th
Nb
Isotopes
Known Isotopes
28
11
17
22
Electronegativity
Pauling Electronegativity
1.30
32
1.60
23
Sanderson Electronegativity
Not Available
1.42
16
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
1.11
29
1.23
25
Allen Electronegativity
Not Available
1.41
31
Electropositivity
Pauling Electropositivity
2.70
22
2.40
31
Ionization Energies
1st Energy Level
587.00 kJ/mol
99+
652.10 kJ/mol
99+
2nd Energy Level
1,110.00 kJ/mol
99+
1,380.00 kJ/mol
99+
3rd Energy Level
1,978.00 kJ/mol
99+
2,416.00 kJ/mol
99+
4th Energy Level
2,780.00 kJ/mol
99+
3,700.00 kJ/mol
99+
5th Energy Level
Not Available
4,877.00 kJ/mol
36
6th Energy Level
Not Available
9,847.00 kJ/mol
11
7th Energy level
Not Available
12,100.00 kJ/mol
14
Electrochemical Equivalent
2.16 g/amp-hr
24
0.69 g/amp-hr
99+
Electron Work Function
3.41 eV
32
4.30 eV
18
Other Chemical Properties
Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Radioactivity
Anti Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
Atomic Properties
Atomic Number
90
28
41
99+
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 6d2 7s2
[Kr] 4d4 5s1
Crystal Structure
Face Centered Cubic (FCC)
Body Centered Cubic (BCC)
Crystal Lattice
FCC-Crystal-Structure-of-Thorium.jpg#100
BCC-Crystal-Structure-.jpg#100
Atom
Number of Protons
90
28
41
99+
Number of Neutrons
142
15
52
99+
Number of Electrons
90
28
41
99+
Radius of an Atom
Atomic Radius
179.80 pm
15
146.00 pm
35
Covalent Radius
206.00 pm
7
164.00 pm
28
Van der Waals Radius
237.00 pm
15
200.00 pm
28
Atomic Weight
232.04 amu
23
92.91 amu
99+
Atomic Volume
19.90 cm3/mol
20
10.87 cm3/mol
99+
Adjacent Atomic Numbers
Valence Electron Potential
59.30 (-eV)
23
104.00 (-eV)
8
Lattice Constant
508.42 pm
14
330.04 pm
99+
Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, π/2
π/2, π/2, π/2
Lattice C/A Ratio
Not Available
Not Available
Mechanical Properties
Density
Density At Room Temperature
11.72 g/cm3
32
8.57 g/cm3
99+
Tensile Strength
Not Available
330.00 MPa
12
Viscosity
Not Available
Not Available
Vapor Pressure
Vapor Pressure at 2000 K
0.00 (Pa)
22
0.00 (Pa)
27
Elasticity properties
Shear Modulus
31.00 GPa
21
38.00 GPa
19
Bulk Modulus
54.00 GPa
22
170.00 GPa
10
Young's Modulus
79.00 GPa
24
105.00 GPa
20
Poisson Ratio
0.27
20
0.40
4
Other Mechanical Properties
Ductile
Ductile, Malleable
Magnetic Properties
Magnetic Characteristics
Specific Gravity
11.70
23
8.57
37
Magnetic Ordering
Paramagnetic
Paramagnetic
Electrical Properties
Electrical Property
Superconductor
Conductor
Resistivity
157.00 nΩ·m
22
152.00 nΩ·m
23
Electrical Conductivity
0.07 106/cm Ω
31
0.07 106/cm Ω
28
Electron Affinity
Not Available
86.10 kJ/mol
12
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat
0.12 J/(kg K)
40
0.26 J/(kg K)
20
Molar Heat Capacity
26.23 J/mol·K
30
24.60 J/mol·K
99+
Thermal Conductivity
54.00 W/m·K
28
53.70 W/m·K
29
Critical Temperature
Not Available
Not Available
Thermal Expansion
11.00 µm/(m·K)
36
7.30 µm/(m·K)
99+
Enthalpy
Enthalpy of Vaporization
429.00 kJ/mol
15
696.60 kJ/mol
4
Enthalpy of Fusion
15.48 kJ/mol
19
27.20 kJ/mol
6
Enthalpy of Atomization
468.60 kJ/mol
15
745.00 kJ/mol
4
Standard Molar Entropy
27.30 J/mol.K
99+
36.40 J/mol.K
99+
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