Vanadium (V)

Blue-silver-grey metal

Vanadium is a hard metal used to strengthen steel alloys and is essential in some biological enzymes, and with [Ar] 3d³ 4s², vanadium exhibits oxidation states from +2 to +5, each with a distinct color. It is used in vanadium redox flow batteries for grid-scale energy storage.

Key metrics

Density6.11g/cm³

Melting point2,183K

Boiling point3,680K

Electronegativity1.63Pauling

Discovery

1801discovered

Discovered by: Andrés Manuel del Río
Reactivity profile: Forms stable oxides
Reactivity: Medium
Bonding: Metallic

Electron configuration

\textcolor{#6b7280}{[Ar]}\; \textcolor{#22c55e}{3_{d}^{3}}\; \textcolor{#ef4444}{4_{s}^{2}}

[Ar] 3d3 4s2

Wave function

\Psi_{\text{V}} \approx \frac{1}{\sqrt{23!}} \det \left| \chi_1(\mathbf{r}_1) \dots \chi_{23}(\mathbf{r}_{23}) \right|

Probability density $|\Psi|^2$ across the V valence shell.

Crystal structure

Body-Centered Cubic

Lattice constantsa = 1.00

Cell anglesα = β = γ = 90°

Coordination number8

Atoms per cell2

Atomic packing factor0.68

Physical properties

Atomic radius: 134 pm
Ionization energy: 651 kJ/mol
Electron affinity: 51 kJ/mol
Crystal structure: Body-centered cubic (bcc)

Oxidation states

+2+3+4+5

Acid/base

Can act as acid or base

Strongly acidicStrongly basic

State at 25 °CSolid

2183 K3680 K298 K

Emission spectrum

3 transitions

380450500550600650700780

VioletBlueGreenYellowRed

411.2nmV I (violet)Violet70%

438.4nmV I (blue)Violet100%

572.7nmV I (yellow)Yellow50%

Dominant line 438.4 nmRange 411–573 nmTransitions 3