This article has been reviewed and approved by the following Topic Editor: Sidney Draggan (other articles)
Background
Tungsten is a gray-white metallic element. Its atomic number is 74 and its atomic symbol is W (after the German name Wolfram given to this element). It is stable and is very resistant to acids and bases. It does, however, oxidize in air, especially at higher temperatures. It has the highest melting temperature of any metal (3,422 degrees Celsius, 6,192 degrees Fahrenheit), and the second highest of all elements (Carbon is highest).
Tungsten was discovered in 1758 by Axel Fredrik Cronstadt; in 1781 Carl Wilhelm Scheele isoldated a tungsten oxide, and in 1783 the Spanish chemists (and brothers) Fausto and Juan Jose de Elhuyar first separated tungsten from the mineral wolframite.
It is interesting to note that tungsten is important to the health of plants and animals. Specifically, it is used by some enzymes (which are called oxidoreductases).
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