Skip to content
molybdenum

File:Molybdenum_crystaline_fragment_and_1cm3_cube.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ1053· pop 148· linked from 1,982 articles

molybdenum

Sign in to save

Also known as element 42, 42Mo, molybdenum atom, elemental molybdenum, metallic molybdenum

Molybdenum is a chemical element; it has symbol Mo and atomic number 42. The name is derived from Ancient Greek '''', meaning lead, since its ores were sometimes confused with those of lead. Molybdenum minerals have been known throughout history, but the element was discovered (in the sense of differentiating it as a new entity from the mineral salts of other metals) in 1778 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele. The metal was first isolated in 1781 by Peter Jacob Hjelm.

AI overview

Molybdenum is a chemical element (symbol Mo, atomic number 42) whose name comes from an Ancient Greek word for lead, because its ores were historically confused with lead ores. Although molybdenum minerals have been known for centuries, the element itself wasn't identified as a distinct entity until 1778 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele, and wasn't isolated as a metal until 1781 by Peter Jacob Hjelm.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Chemical data

Formula
Mo
Molecular weight
95.95 g/mol
IUPAC name
molybdenum
SMILES
[Mo]
InChIKey
ZOKXTWBITQBERF-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Polar surface area
0 Ų
H-bond donors
0
H-bond acceptors
0
Formal charge
0

via PubChem

Research

25,436 papers

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Mass
95.95
Image
Molybdenum crystaline fragment and 1cm3 cube.jpg
Show 20 more facts
element symbol
Mo
Commons category
Molybdenum
atomic number
42
immediately dangerous to life or health
5000
canonical SMILES
[Mo]
NIOSH Pocket Guide ID
0433
density
10.28
Commons gallery
Molybdenum
melting point
4752
boiling point
8717
vapor pressure
0
time-weighted average exposure limit
15
chemical formula
Mo
oxidation state
6
electron configuration
[Kr] 4d⁵ 5s¹
time of discovery or invention
1778-00-00
electronegativity
2
tensile modulus of elasticity
329000
Unicode character
ionic radius
0.73
Sources (7)

via Wikidata · CC0

~32 min read

Article

28 sections
Contents
  • Characteristics
  • Physical properties
  • Chemical properties
  • Isotopes
  • Redox buffer in the irradiated fuel matrix
  • Compounds
  • History
  • Occurrence and production
  • Mining
  • Molybdenum traces in seawater
  • Applications
  • Alloys
  • Pure element applications
  • Compound applications
  • Biological role
  • Mo-containing enzymes
  • Human metabolism and deficiency
  • Excretion
  • Excess and copper antagonism
  • Mammography
  • Dietary recommendations
  • Labeling
  • Food sources
  • Precautions
  • See also
  • References
  • Bibliography
  • External links

Molybdenum is a chemical element; it has symbol Mo and atomic number 42. The name is derived from Ancient Greek '', meaning lead, since its ores were sometimes confused with those of lead. Molybdenum minerals have been known throughout history, but the element was discovered (in the sense of differentiating it as a new entity from the mineral salts of other metals) in 1778 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele. The metal was first isolated in 1781 by Peter Jacob Hjelm.

Molybdenum does not occur naturally as a free metal on Earth; in its minerals, it is found only in oxidized states. The free element, a silvery metal with a grey cast, has the sixth-highest melting point of any element. It readily forms hard, stable carbides in alloys, and for this reason most of the world production of the element (about 80%) is used in steel alloys, including high-strength alloys and superalloys.

Gallery (17)

Connections

Categories