Vanadium (V)
Element 23 · Transition metal · atomic mass 50.942 u · group 5, period 4
Electron shells: 2, 8, 11, 2
Vanadium is a hard transition metal whose main job is making steel tougher in tiny quantities. Its compounds form a striking range of colours across four oxidation states.
It was named after the goddess of beauty because its compounds run through green, blue, violet and yellow.
- Atomic number
- 23
- Atomic mass
- 50.942 u
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 4s² 3d³
- Group · period · block
- 5 · 4 · d
- Oxidation states
- +2, +3, +4, +5
- Electronegativity
- 1.63 (Pauling)
- Melting point
- 1,910 °C
- Boiling point
- 3,407 °C
- Density
- 6 g/cm³
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Appearance
- Silvery-grey metal
- Discovered
- Andrés Manuel del Río; rediscovered by Nils Sefström, 1801
23 protons, and 23 electrons when neutral
IUPAC standard atomic weight
Vanadium group
What Vanadium is used for
- High-strength tool and spring steels
- Vanadium redox flow batteries
- Catalyst for sulfuric acid
- Aerospace titanium alloys
Atomic structure of Vanadium
A neutral vanadium atom has 23 protons and 23 electrons. Its most common isotope carries about 28 neutrons, which is where the mass number 51 comes from. Change the neutron count and you have a different isotope of vanadium; change the proton count and you have a different element entirely.
Those electrons fill shells from the inside out: 2, 8, 11, 2. In orbital notation that is [Ar] 4s² 3d³. As a d-block element its valence count is variable, which is why it can form compounds in several oxidation states.
3D electron orbitals
See where Vanadium's electrons actually are — a cloud of 26,000 points sampled from the probability density |ψ|², not a cartoon of a lobe.
Where Vanadium sits in the periodic table
Discovery and naming
Vanadium was discovered by Andrés Manuel del Río; rediscovered by Nils Sefström in 1801. Its name comes from Vanadis, a name of the Norse goddess Freyja.
Keep exploring
Atomic weight from IUPAC/CIAAW; physical properties from PubChem (US National Library of Medicine). Values that have never been measured are shown as “not measured” rather than estimated.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the atomic mass of Vanadium?
The standard atomic weight of Vanadium is 50.942 u, as published by IUPAC's Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Vanadium have?
Vanadium has 23 protons, because the atomic number is the proton count and that is what makes an atom Vanadium at all. A neutral Vanadium atom has the same number of electrons, 23. The neutron count varies by isotope; the most common one has about 28, since 51 − 23 = 28.
What is the electron configuration of Vanadium?
The electron configuration of Vanadium is [Ar] 4s² 3d³. Its electrons are arranged 2, 8, 11, 2 across 4 shells.
Is Vanadium a metal?
Yes. Vanadium is classified as a transition metal, on the metallic side of the table.
What group and period is Vanadium in?
Vanadium is in group 5 (the vanadium group), period 4, in the d-block. The group is its column and the period is its row.
What is the charge of Vanadium?
Vanadium most commonly forms a 5+ or 4+ or 3+ or 2+ ion. Like most transition metals it has several accessible oxidation states, so the charge depends on the compound.
What is the melting point of Vanadium?
Vanadium melts at 1,910 °C and boils at 3,407 °C. That puts it in the solids at everyday temperatures.
What is Vanadium used for?
High-strength tool and spring steels, Vanadium redox flow batteries, Catalyst for sulfuric acid, Aerospace titanium alloys. Vanadium is a hard transition metal whose main job is making steel tougher in tiny quantities.
Who discovered Vanadium, and where does its name come from?
Vanadium (V) was discovered by Andrés Manuel del Río; rediscovered by Nils Sefström in 1801. The name comes from Vanadis, a name of the Norse goddess Freyja.