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Molybdenum Mo
Where is molybdenum used--or where does it impact our everyday lives?
Molybdenum Symbol: Mo
Atomic number: 42 Atomic mass: 95.96
At room temperature: Solid
Where on Periodic Table: Group 6 Period 5 a d-block element
Melting Point: 2623 °C (4753.4 oF)
Boiling Point: 4639 °C (8382.2 oF)
Density 10.28 g/mL
Reaction with air (O2): At room temperature, molybdenum does not react with air or oxygen, O2. At elevated temperatures (red heat), the trioxide molybdenum(VI) oxide, MoO3, is formed.
Reaction/solubility in water: At room temperature, molybdenum does not react with water.
Other:
It is necessary for all eukaryotes.
Molybdenum has the sixth highest melting point of all elements.
Molybdenum has served a number of purposes in the military.
Source: LANL.gov
Resarcher: Angela C
Molybdenum is used in alloys for bicycle frames
Wulfenite, a compound of molybdenum viewed at the National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC during a Chemistry ONE field trip
--leaf-like crystals of wulfenite, PbMoO4.
The alloy in the rotor blade fixings in the Bell UH-1 Iriquois helicopter is 4340 nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy steel. This helicopter is on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, USA.
WIS Photographer
Bicycle frames are made from a variety of materials for strength and lower weight. These materials include steel, carbon fibre, aluminum, chromium/molybdenum alloy and even scandium alloys. The bike frame in this picture is chrome/molybdenum alloy known as chrome moly or chromo including 1 % chromium and 0,2 % molybdenum
Other samples of wulfenite - to the left with mimitite - from Mapimi, Durango, Mexico, and below from the San Carlos mine, Chihuahua, Mexico
Molybdenum is used in high-temperaure alloys in the combustion chambers of jet engines. The superalloys contain niobiun, tantalum, tungsten or molybdenum.
The Pratt and Whitney jet engine in the image is one from the F-35 on display at the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia, USA
WIS Photographer
Because of the high temperatures involved production of X rays, the tubes that produce X-rays include a tungsten-rhenium target with a molybdenum core.
The X-ray machine here is one at Inova Orthopedics in Fairfax, Virginia, USA taken by Ms. H as she recovered from her broken shoulder.
