MOLYBDENUM (MO)

last update 01 sep 10

* Molybdenum is a member of the transition metals family:

transition metals in the periodic table

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   MOLYBDENUM / Mo / 42

   A lustrous, silvery, somewhat soft metal with fair resistance
   to corrosion.  Seven isotopes are found in nature:

     Mo<98/42>  / 24%
     Mo<96/42>  / 16.5%
     Mo<95/42>  / 16%
     Mo<92/42>  / 15%
     Mo<97/42>  /  9.5%
     Mo<100/42> /  9.5%
     Mo<94/42>  /  9.5%

   All are stable.

     atomic weight:       95.94
     abundance:           54th
     density:             10.22 g/cc
     melting point:       2,617 C
     boiling point:       4,612 C
     valence:             2 3 4? 5? <6>
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Molybdenum is a fairly useful element, similar to chromium in many ways, and is produced in the tens of thousands of tonnes per year. It is almost always used in alloys, the most prominent being molybdenum steel, which is highly temperature resistant (due to the high melting point of molybdenum) and so is used in aerospace applications. Molybdenum is also used as a catalyst and in power electrical equipment.

One interesting fact about molybdenum steel is that some Japanese swords from the 14th century are made of the stuff. Exactly how anybody managed to stumble onto such a find is and will likely remain unknown. These swords appear to have been the work of one swordsmith and the practice died with him.