Osmium
| Symbol | Os |
| Atomic Number | 76 |
| Atomic Mass | 190.2 g.mol -1 |
| Discovered by | Smithson Tennant in 1803 |
Chemical Properties of Osmium
| Group | 8 | Melting point | 3045 °C |
| Period | 6 | Boiling point | 5027 °C |
| Block | d | Density (g cm−3) | 22.5872 |
| Atomic number | 76 | Relative atomic mass | 190.23 |
| State at 20°C | Solid | Key isotopes | 192Os |
| Electron configuration | [Xe]4f14Â 5d6Â 6s2 | CAS number | 7440-04-2 |
| ChemSpider ID | 22379 | ChemSpider is a free chemical structure database |
What is Osmium?
- Osmium is a lustrous and silvery metal with an atomic number of 76 in the periodic table.
- It tends to be a dense metal. It appears like a bluish metal that occurs in the group Platinum.
Uses of Osmium
- It is employed in industries as a catalyst.
- It also has a great use in the field of space applications because of its high reflectivity.
- It is used in light bulbs and incandescent lamps to increase the light output.
- Osmium tetroxide is being used in fingerprint detection.
- It is used as an electrolyte in the battery applications as it can absorb hydrogen atoms.
- It is used in fountain pen tips.
Properties of Osmium
- The metal is neither affected by acid or by water but tends to dissolve in molten alkalis.
- It is a naturally occurring element and it can also be obtained by commercial means during the refining of nickel.
- At high temperatures, the metal turns lustrous, hard and brittle.
Certain Facts About Osmium
- Osmium was first discovered in the year 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston and Smithson Tennant in England.
- Osmiridium and iridosmine are the ores of osmium and this metal is rarely found in some parts of North America, South America, and also in Russia.