Name :  Tantalum
Symbol :  Ta
Atomic Number :  73
Atomic Weight :  180.9479
Specific Heat :  0.14 J/gK
Melting Point :  2996°C
Vaporization :  743.0 kJ/mol
Boiling Point :  5425°C ±100°C
Electronegativity :  1.5
Density@293 K :  16.6 g/cm³
Discovered :  Anders Ekeberg, Sweden, 1802
Description :  Rare, gray, heavy, hard but ductile, metal with a high melting point.
Uses :  Often used as an economical substitute for platinum. Tantalum pentoxide is used in capacitors and in camera lenses to increase refracting power. It and its alloys are corrosion and wear resistant so it is used to make surgical and dental tools.