Niobium (Nb)

Niobium properties

Atomic number

41

Atomic mass

92.906 u

Category

Transition metal

Group

5

Period

5

Block

d-block

State at room temp.

Solid

Electronegativity

1.6

Melting point

2,750 K (2,476.8 °C)

Boiling point

5,017 K (4,743.8 °C)

Density

8.57 g/cm³

Valence electrons

1

Common charges

+3, +5

Oxidation states

+5, +3

Atomic radius

207 pm

Ionization energy

6.759 eV

Electron affinity

0.893 eV

Radioactive

No, has stable isotopes

Discovered

1801

Niobium electron configuration

The electron configuration of Niobium (Nb) is [Kr] 4d4 5s1. Its 41 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 12, 1.

Protons, neutrons and electrons in Niobium

A neutral Niobium atom has 41 protons and 41 electrons. Most Niobium atoms have about 52 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 93, minus the atomic number 41.

Neutrons are approximate: atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). Atomic number and mass

How many valence electrons does Niobium have?

1

Niobium has 1 valence electron, counting the electrons in its outermost s subshell. Like most transition metals, it can also use d electrons in bonding.

See every element: Periodic table with valence electrons

Niobium orbital diagram

Each box is an orbital that holds up to two electrons with opposite spins (↑↓). The inner shells are the same as the noble gas in brackets. How to write electron configurations

Molar mass of Niobium

92.906 g/mol

One mole of Niobium atoms (6.022 × 10²³ atoms) has a mass of 92.906 grams. Use this value to convert between grams and moles.

Niobium facts

• Niobium is named after Niobe, the daughter of Tantalus in Greek mythology, because it is so closely related to tantalum.
• Brazil produces roughly 90 percent of the world's niobium.
• Niobium (Nb) has atomic number 41 and is a solid at room temperature. It was discovered in 1801.

Position in the periodic table

Niobium is element 41, in period 5 and group 5 of the periodic table, in the d-block.

All transition metals

Uses of Niobium

Niobium is mainly used as a tiny addition to steel, where a fraction of a percent makes high-strength steels for gas pipelines, car bodies, and bridges. Niobium–titanium wire becomes superconducting when cooled with liquid helium and forms the magnets in most MRI scanners and in particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider. Niobium is also used in jet engine superalloys and in hypoallergenic jewelry.

Who discovered Niobium?

English chemist Charles Hatchett discovered niobium in 1801 in a mineral sample sent to England from North America, and he called it columbium. Because it is so similar to tantalum, its identity was disputed for decades, and German chemist Heinrich Rose gave it the name niobium in 1844.

Where does the name come from?

Niobium is named after Niobe, the daughter of Tantalus in Greek mythology, because the element is so similar to tantalum. Heinrich Rose chose the name in 1844; it was long called columbium in the United States.

Discovery timeline