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Tungsten is a strong and durable metal used in various industrial applications. It is extracted from minerals in Russia, Austria, China, and Portugal. Tungsten has the highest melting point and tensile strength of any metal and is used in alloys and wear-resistant tools. It was discovered in the early 1700s and is known for its use in light bulbs. Tungsten has safety precautions due to its flammability and potential health risks.
Tungsten is a metallic chemical element classified among the transition metals of the periodic table of elements. It is well known for its strength and durability, making it extremely useful in a wide range of industrial applications. Some consumers also own products that contain tungsten or were made with the metal. The main world sources of this element are Russia, Austria, China and Portugal, where it is extracted from minerals such as scheelite and wolframite.
This element is not found in a pure form in nature. When isolated, tungsten is a very hard, brittle, gray to white metal that is extremely resistant to corrosion. It has the highest melting point and tensile strength of any metal and also has the lowest vapor pressure point. The metal is identified by the symbol W on the periodic table of elements, a reference to its alternate name, tungsten. The atomic number of tungsten is 74.
People have known of tungsten’s existence since at least the early 1700s, when observers noticed the metal interacting with tin. In 1784 the de Elhuyar brothers managed to isolate it in Spain, using tungstic acid extracted from wolframite. Tungsten has traditionally been a very valuable metal, as its durability and strength make it extremely useful for military and industrial uses. The name of the element comes from the Swedish tung, or “heavy”, and sten, for “stone”.
One of tungsten’s most famous uses is as a filament in light bulbs. The metal is also used in an assortment of alloys to increase its hardness and tensile strength. Many structural metal alloys use it as the metal has an extremely high melting point and the element is also used to make wear-resistant tools. While these tools can be expensive, many workers appreciate them for their durability and long life.
Tungsten has some safety precautions. Metal dust can be flammable or explosive, and it also irritates mucous membranes, such as those inside the nose and mouth. In some regions, tungsten has been linked to serious lung infections in people who regularly work with the element without adequate protection. Metal exposure has also been correlated with increased cancer rates, although no concrete evidence has been discovered to turn the correlation into causation.
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