What is the condensed electron configuration of tungsten?

The condensed (noble-gas) notation is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s², where [Xe] represents the filled xenon core of 54 electrons (1s² through 5p⁶).

How many valence electrons does tungsten have?

Tungsten has 6 valence electrons: 4 in the 5d subshell and 2 in the 6s subshell. These account for its +6, +4, +2, and other oxidation states.

Why does tungsten have the highest melting point of all metals?

The partially filled 5d orbitals allow strong metallic bonding through d-orbital overlap across the crystal lattice. The combination of 4 unpaired d electrons and high nuclear charge gives tungsten an exceptionally high cohesive energy.

What block and period is tungsten in?

Tungsten is in Period 6, Group 6 (VIB), and belongs to the d-block of the periodic table. It is a 5d transition metal.

Does tungsten follow the Aufbau principle exactly?

Yes, unlike chromium and molybdenum (which promote one 4s/5s electron to the d subshell for half-filled stability), tungsten follows the regular Aufbau order: [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s². No anomaly occurs at Z=74.

What oxidation states does tungsten commonly form?

Tungsten most commonly forms +6 (in WO₃, WF₆), +4 (in WO₂), and +2 oxidation states. The +6 state, which removes all 6 valence electrons, is the most stable in oxide chemistry.

Tungsten Electron Configuration

Name: Tungsten Electron Configuration
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Author: Nham Vu

Reference for tungsten's electron configuration ([Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s²), orbital box diagram, quantum numbers, and key atomic properties.

Z = 74 W Tungsten

Tungsten — Electron Configuration

Atomic number 74 · Transition metal · Period 6, Group 6 · d-block

[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s² 74 electrons 6 valence e⁻ Symbol: W (Wolfram)

Subshell Breakdown

Subshell	Type	Electrons	Max	Notation
1s	s, n=1	2	2	1s²
2s	s, n=2	2	2	2s²
2p	p, n=2	6	6	2p⁶
3s	s, n=3	2	2	3s²
3p	p, n=3	6	6	3p⁶
3d	d, n=3	10	10	3d¹⁰
4s	s, n=4	2	2	4s²
4p	p, n=4	6	6	4p⁶
4d	d, n=4	10	10	4d¹⁰
4f	f, n=4	14	14	4f¹⁴
5s	s, n=5	2	2	5s²
5p	p, n=5	6	6	5p⁶
5d	d, n=5	4 (valence)	10	5d⁴
6s	s, n=6	2 (valence)	2	6s²
Total		74

Full Configuration

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d⁴ 6s²

All 14 subshells written explicitly.

Noble-Gas Shorthand

[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s²

[Xe] = 54 inner electrons (1s² through 5p⁶).

Shell Fill Summary

Shell 1 (n=1) — 1s² 2 / 2 electrons (100%)

Shell 2 (n=2) — 2s² 2p⁶ 8 / 8 electrons (100%)

Shell 3 (n=3) — 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 18 / 18 electrons (100%)

Shell 4 (n=4) — 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 32 / 32 electrons (100%)

Shell 5 (n=5) — 5s² 5p⁶ 5d⁴ 12 / 32 electrons (38%)

Shell 6 (n=6) — 6s² 2 / 32 electrons (6%)

Shell 5 can hold up to 32 electrons (5s + 5p + 5d + 5f). Tungsten uses only 12 of those slots. Shell 6 can also hold 32 but only 2 are occupied.

Orbital Box Diagram — Valence Region

The [Xe] core (54 electrons, 1s through 5p) is shown as a collapsed block. Only 4f, 5d, and 6s are drawn in full.

[Xe]

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 5p⁶ — 54 electrons (xenon core)

14 electrons, 7 orbitals — fully filled

empty

4 electrons (1 per orbital, Hund's rule) — 1 empty orbital

2 electrons (paired) — filled

Each box represents one orbital. Opposing arrows represent paired electrons (+½ and −½). Single arrows represent unpaired electrons (spin up by convention). The 5d⁴ configuration has 4 unpaired electrons following Hund's rule of maximum multiplicity.

Quantum Numbers — Valence Electrons (4f, 5d, 6s)

Electron #	n	l	mₗ	mₛ	Subshell
55	4	3	-3	+½	4f
56	4	3	-3	−½	4f
57	4	3	-2	+½	4f
58	4	3	-2	−½	4f
59	4	3	-1	+½	4f
60	4	3	-1	−½	4f
61	4	3	0	+½	4f
62	4	3	0	−½	4f
63	4	3	1	+½	4f
64	4	3	1	−½	4f
65	4	3	2	+½	4f
66	4	3	2	−½	4f
67	4	3	3	+½	4f
68	4	3	3	−½	4f
69	5	2	-2	+½	5d
70	5	2	-1	+½	5d
71	5	2	0	+½	5d
72	5	2	1	+½	5d
73	6	0	0	+½	6s
74	6	0	0	−½	6s

n = principal; l = azimuthal (l=0 → s, l=2 → d, l=3 → f); mₗ = magnetic; mₛ = spin. Electrons 1–54 are the [Xe] core. 5d and 6s rows are highlighted as outer valence electrons.

Summary

Reference for tungsten's electron configuration ([Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s²), orbital box diagram, quantum numbers, and key atomic properties.

How it works

The Aufbau principle fills orbitals from lowest to highest energy.
Tungsten's 74 electrons fill all subshells up to 5d and 6s.
The noble-gas core [Xe] (54 electrons) is written in brackets, leaving 20 electrons to show explicitly.
The 4f subshell holds 14 electrons across 7 orbitals — all fully filled.
The 5d subshell holds 4 electrons across 5 orbitals, following Hund's rule (one per orbital before pairing).
The 6s subshell holds 2 electrons in a single fully paired orbital.
The resulting condensed configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s².

Use cases

Quick reference for chemistry homework or exam review on Period 6 transition metals.
Understand why tungsten has such an exceptionally high melting point (3422 °C).
Compare electron configurations of Group 6 metals: Cr, Mo, and W.
Visualize the filling of 4f and 5d orbitals through the lanthanide and transition-metal blocks.
Learn how the 5d⁴ 6s² configuration drives tungsten's common +6, +4, and +2 oxidation states.
Teaching aid for atomic structure and electron configuration at the advanced level.
Verify quantum numbers for tungsten's valence electrons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-23 · Reviewed by Nham Vu