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Molybdenum
Electron Configuration 2,8,18,13,1
Electron Configuration [Kr] 4d5 5s1
Ground state 7S3
Atomic Volume 9.4 g/cm3
Electronegativity 2.16
Magnetic ordering No data
Mass magnetic susceptibility 1.17 x 10-8
Molar magnetic susceptibility 1.122 x 10-9
Speed of sound 5400 m s-1
Thermal Properties
Enthalpy of Atomization 653 kJ mol-1 @25°C
Enthalpy of Fusion 27.6 kJ mol-1
Enthalpy of Vaporisation 589.9 kJ mol-1
Heat Capacity 24.06 J mol-1 K-1
Thermal Conductivity 138 W m-1 K-1
Thermal Expansion 4.8 μm m-1 K-1
Hardness
Brinell hardness 1500 MPa
Mohs hardness 5.5
Vickers hardness 1530 MPa
Elastic Properties
Bulk modulus 230 GPa
Poisson ratio 0.31
Shear modulus 20 GPa
Young's modulus 329 GPa
Electrical Properties
Electrical resistivity 5 x 10-8 Ω m
Electrical conductivity No data.
Chemical Properties
Electrochemical Equivalent 0.8949 g Ah-1
Electron Work Function 4.6 eV
Valence Electron Potential (-eV) 88.6
Ionization Potential  
First 7.099
Second 16.461
Third 27.16
Incompatibilities Strong oxidizers.
Flammability
Combusrible Solid in powder form
Energy Levels
Kα1 (intensity 100) 17.47934 KeV
Kα2 (intensity 50) 17.3743 KeV
Kβ1 (intensity 17.1) 19.6083 KeV
Kβ2 (intensity 3.6) 19.9613 KeV
Kβ3 (intensity 8) 19.5858 KeV
Lα1 (intensity 100) 2.29316 KeV
Lα2 (intensity 10) 2.28985 KeV
Lβ1 (intensity 45) 2.39481 KeV
Lβ2 (intensity 3.9) 2.5183 KeV
Lβ3 (intensity 4.5) 2.4725 KeV
Lβ4 (intensity 4) 2.4559 KeV
Lγ1 (intensity 0.3) 2.6235 KeV
Lγ3 (intensity 2) 2.12 KeV
Ll (intensity 4) 2.0131 KeV
Atomic Radii
Empirical 145 pm
Bohr Radius 190 pm
Covalent Radius 145 pm
Van der Waals No data.
Triple covalent 113 pm
Metallic 139 pm
Ionic Radii (Å)
Charge Coordination Crystal Ionic Key
VI 0.83 0.69 E
VI 0.79 0.65 RM
IV 0.6 0.46 R
VI 0.75 0.61 R
IV 0.55 0.41 R*
V 0.64 0.5
VI 0.73 0.59 R*
VII 0.87 0.73
R, From r3 vs V plots.
C, Calculated from bond length - bond strength equations.
E, Estimated.
*, Most Reliable.
M, From Metallic Oxides.
A, Ahrens (1952) Ionic radius.
P, Pauling's (1960) Crystal Radius.
Oxidation States
Main Mo+6
Other Mo-2, Mo0, Mo+1, Mo+2, Mo+3, Mo+4, Mo+5
Ionisation Energies (kJ mol-1) show graph
M - M+ 685
M+ - M2+ 1558
M2+ - M3+ 2621
M3+ - M4+ 4480
M4+ - M5+ 5900
M5+ - M6+ 6560
M6+ - M7+ 12230
M7+ - M8+ 14800
M8+ - M9+ 16800
M9+ - M10+ 19700
Vapour Pressure
P (Pa) 1 10 100 1K 10K 100K
T (K) 2742 2994 3312 3707 4212 4879
Crystal Structure
Structure Body centred cubic
a = 314.7 pm
b = 314.7 pm
c = 314.7 pm
α = 90°
β = 90°
γ = 90°