Editing Group 5 element (section)

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{{Short description|Group of elements in the periodic table}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox periodic table group
| title       = Group&nbsp;5 {{nowrap|in the periodic table}}
| group number= 5
| trivial name=
| by element  = vanadium group
| CAS         = VB
| old IUPAC   = VA
| mark        = V,Nb,Ta,Db
| left        = [[Group 4 element|group 4]]
| right       = [[Group 6 element|group 6]]
}}
{| class="floatright"
! colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | ↓&nbsp;<small>[[Period (periodic table)|Period]]</small>
|-
| [[Period 4 element|4]]
| {{element cell image|23|Vanadium|V| |Solid|Transition metal|Primordial|image=Vanadium_crystal_bar_and_1cm3_cube.jpg|image caption=Vanadium etched}}
|-
! [[Period 5 element|5]]
| {{element cell image|41|Niobium|Nb| |Solid|Transition metal|Primordial|image=Niobium crystals and 1cm3 cube.jpg|image caption=Niobium crystals}}
|-
! [[Period 6 element|6]]
| {{element cell image|73|Tantalum|Ta| |Solid|Transition metal|Primordial|image=Tantalum single crystal and 1cm3 cube.jpg|image caption=Tantalum, a single crystal}}
|-
! [[Period 7 element|7]]
| {{element cell image|105|Dubnium|Db| |Unknown phase|Transition metal|Synthetic}}
|-
| colspan="2"|
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''Legend''
{| style="text-align:center; border:0; margin:1em auto;"
|-
| style="border:{{element color|Primordial}}; background:{{Element color|table mark}}; padding:0 2px;" | [[primordial element]]
|-
| style="border:{{element color|Synthetic}}; background:{{Element color|table mark}}; padding:0 2px;" | [[synthetic element]]
|}
|}

'''Group 5''' is a [[Group (periodic table)|group of elements]] in the [[periodic table]]. Group 5 contains [[vanadium]] (V), [[niobium]] (Nb), [[tantalum]] (Ta) and [[dubnium]] (Db).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Reich |first1=Herb |title=Numberpedia: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know (and a Few Things You Didn't) About Numbers |date=2011 |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing |location=New York |isbn=978-1616080846 |pages=512}}</ref> This group lies in the [[d-block]] of the periodic table. This group is sometimes called the '''vanadium group''' or '''vanadium family''' after its lightest member; however, the group itself has not acquired a [[trivial name]] because it belongs to the broader grouping of the [[transition metal]]s.

As is typical for early transition metals, niobium and tantalum have only the group [[oxidation state]] of +5 as a major one, and are quite electropositive (it is easy to donate electrons) and have a less rich coordination chemistry (the chemistry of metallic ions bound with molecules). Due to the effects of the [[lanthanide contraction]], the decrease in ionic radii in the [[lanthanide]]s, they are very similar in properties. Vanadium is somewhat distinct due to its smaller size: it has well-defined +2, +3 and +4 states as well (although +5 is more stable).

The lighter three Group 5 elements occur naturally and share similar properties; all three are hard [[refractory metals]] under standard conditions. The fourth element, [[dubnium]], has been synthesized in laboratories, but it has not been found occurring in nature, with half-life of the most stable isotope, dubnium-268, being only 16 hours, and other isotopes even more [[radioactive]].