Valency of Tantalum (Ta)
The valency of Tantalum is 5 — it has 2 valence electrons, and it gains 3 to complete its outer shell.
This is the fast lane: one page, one fact, zero digressions. Read the quick answer, check the table, and if your exam needs the full derivation, the sections below walk through it step by step — in Bangla and English, like every page here. Need the whole picture instead — history, characteristics, uses, exam questions? The full Tantalum page is one click away.
Counting the valence electrons
From the configuration [Xe] 4f^14 5d^3 6s^2, Tantalum's outermost shell carries 2 electrons. For a d-block element the nearby inner "d" subshell can also lend electrons, which is where variable valency comes from.
Position check: Tantalum belongs to group 5 of the periodic table, period 6.
Valency vs valence electrons
Valence electrons are what you count (2 for Tantalum); valency is what the atom will do to complete its outer shell (5 here). Keep the two words straight and half the periodic-table chapter writes itself.
Students also ask
How do I find the valency of Tantalum from its group?
Tantalum sits in group 5; for this transition group the safe exam answer is its common valency, 5.
Why does Tantalum show a fixed valency?
Tantalum has 2 valence electrons and reaches a complete outer shell in one consistent way, so its valency stays fixed at 5.