Vanadium

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Vanadium \Va*na"di*um\, n. [NL., fr. Icel. Vanad[imac]s, a
     surname of the Scandinavian goddess Freya.] (Chem.)
     A rare element of the nitrogen-phosphorus group, found
     combined, in vanadates, in certain minerals, and reduced as
     an infusible, grayish-white metallic powder. It is
     intermediate between the metals and the non-metals, having


     both basic and acid properties. Symbol V (or Vd, rarely).
     Atomic weight 50.94 (C12=12.000).
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  vanadium
       n : a soft silvery white toxic metallic element used in steel
           alloys; it occurs in several complex minerals including
           carnotite and vanadinite [syn: {V}, {atomic number 23}]

From Elements database 20001107 [elements]:

  vanadium
  Symbol: V
  Atomic number: 23
  Atomic weight: 50.9415
  Soft and ductile, bright white metal. Good resistance to corrosion by
  alkalis, sulphuric and hydrochloric acid. It oxidizes readily about
  933K. There are two naturally occurring isotopes of vanadium, and 5
  radioisotopes, V-49 having the longest half-life at 337 days. Vanadium
  has nuclear applications, the foil is used in cladding titanium to steel,
  and vanadium-gallium tape is used to produce a superconductive magnet.
  Originally discovered by Andres Manuel del Rio of Mexico City in 1801.
  His discovery went unheeded, however, and in 1820, Nils Gabriel Sefstron
  of Sweden rediscovered it. Metallic vanadium was isolated by Henry Enfield
  Roscoe in 1867. The name vanadium comes from {Vanadis}, a goddess of
  Scandinavian mythology. Silvery-white metallic transition element.
  Vanadium is essential to {ascidian}s. Rats and chickens are also known
  to require it. Metal powder is a fire hazard, and vanadium compounds
  should be considered highly toxic. May cause lung cancer if inhaled.
  
  

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Vanadium, NM
    Zip code(s): 88023