Tantalum is element number 73, a metal with the symbol Ta. Its name comes from King Tantalus of Greek myth.
Atomic number 73180.9
TaTantalumタンタル (tantaru)
Symbol
Ta
Atomic weight
180.9
Place in the table
Period 6 · Group 5
Atomic weight from the Chemical Society of Japan, “Table of Standard Atomic Weights with Four Significant Figures (2026)”.
A king never satisfied
In the myth, King Tantalus suffers eternal hunger. Tantalum’s oxide does not dissolve in acid, as if it could never be satisfied, and so it was given this name. It was discovered in 1801.
With his daughter, niobium
Niobium, directly above tantalum, is named after Tantalus’s daughter Niobe. Both were found in 1801, and parent and child line up in Group 5.
Tantalum is in the sixth row of Group 5.
Think about it
Q1Why might “a king who is never satisfied” come to mind for something that won’t dissolve?
Q2What do you think of a mythical father and daughter lining up on the periodic table?
Q3Look for other names that link a property to a story.
There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.
Did you know? — All three Group 5 elements, vanadium, niobium and tantalum, are named after myths.