Osmium!
(oz-mee-umm)
(ohs-me-um)
by: Ben Weiss
Physical Properties! Osmium is naturally found in platinum compounds, either as a shiny crystal, dark colored powder or a brittle rock. It's color consists of white, black, silver and sometimes purple or blue! The smooth sides of Osmium crystal are even called "natures mirrors" for their flawless reflection. No matter what form, Osmium still has the highest density out of every element in the world!
It's exact density is 22.610 grams per cubic centimeter of solid material; barely greater than Iridium's density of 22.55O. In fact, both elements where discovered and named in the same year and by the same scientist... |
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Uses!
Osmium has many important uses and almost all of them are used today in the modern
world! (The fountain pen is pretty much the only exception.)
world! (The fountain pen is pretty much the only exception.)
- Osmium is used in all computers. Including the mouse, monitor, speakers, hard-drive and keyboard.
- Another important use of Osmium in the world today is surgical implants (mostly pacemakers & heart valves) that are put into the human body to improve or regulate certain conditions (heart failure). This concept of these mechanical devices inside the body is most commonly referred to as organic chemistry. Medical scientists choose Osmium over any other element because Osmium can withstand the extreme conditions inside the human body, Osmium cannot corrode as easily as Iron, for instance and Osmium does not seep out poisons. However, Osmium does produce a strong and pungent gas that can be seriously harmful to the human body!
- Osmium is also used in electrical cables because Osmium has tensile strength and conducts electricity quite well.
- The final common use of Osmium is in the making of the tips of fancy fountain pens for Osmium's crystal form shines and sparkles while withstanding pressure and corrosion.
Discovery!
Osmium was discovered in 1803 in London, by an English scientist named Smithson Tennat. Earlier in the year, Tennat had discovered the newly added element, Iridium and was still conducting experiments in search of other metals in the platinum family. One day during one of his experiments, Tennat tried dissolving a plain platinum bar in aqua regia (a powerful combination of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, using the largest quantities of each acid than any other scientist before him!) and... EURIKA!!! To Tennat's excitement, all of the bar was corroded away except for a peculiar powder that was left behind and was not affected by the extreme affects of the acid! After many "trial and error" experiments Tennat was able to reconstruct the powder back into its original solid form by using a wide variety of acids and other powerful chemicals. The solid and natural form of the powder, Tennat later named: "Osmium" after the greek word for smell: "osme." (the solid form of Osmium produces a strong foul odor that made Tennat "constantly gag")
The Statistics!
Boiling Point = 5285 k. or 9,053 degrees Fahrenheit!
Melting Point = 3030 k. or 5,486 degrees Fahrenheit! (highest in entire platinum family)
Metal type (metalloid, metal, nonmetal) = Metal!
Neutrons = Varies between 114-123. (osmium reacts to many things therefore neutrons constantly being stripped and added...)
Protons/Electrons/Atomic number = 76.
State of Matter (solid,gas,liquid,plasma,synthetic) = Solid!
Color = Bluish white, Purple, Black, Silver!
Density = 22.6 grams of matter per cubic centimeter of solid Osmium.
Radioactive = Very!
Hardness = 7.0 mohs (unit of hardness)
Oxide (result of air exposure and reactions) = Osmium tetroxide! (OsO4)
Cost = $7,700 per 100 grams of Pure Osmium!!! (very rare metal of platinum family)
Alloys = Any combination between Osmium and other elements of the platinum family. (Iridium, Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Ruthenium.)
Chemical Symbol = Os
Melting Point = 3030 k. or 5,486 degrees Fahrenheit! (highest in entire platinum family)
Metal type (metalloid, metal, nonmetal) = Metal!
Neutrons = Varies between 114-123. (osmium reacts to many things therefore neutrons constantly being stripped and added...)
Protons/Electrons/Atomic number = 76.
State of Matter (solid,gas,liquid,plasma,synthetic) = Solid!
Color = Bluish white, Purple, Black, Silver!
Density = 22.6 grams of matter per cubic centimeter of solid Osmium.
Radioactive = Very!
Hardness = 7.0 mohs (unit of hardness)
Oxide (result of air exposure and reactions) = Osmium tetroxide! (OsO4)
Cost = $7,700 per 100 grams of Pure Osmium!!! (very rare metal of platinum family)
Alloys = Any combination between Osmium and other elements of the platinum family. (Iridium, Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Ruthenium.)
Chemical Symbol = Os
Cool Facts!!!
KA-BOOM!!!
- Osmium Tetroxide (OsO4, or O.T.) is a toxic oxide of Osmium and is created when Osmium powder is exposed to Oxygen (or, in other words O.T. is made when Osmium powder oxidizes). O.T. just so happens to cause eye, lung and skin damage. Also known as blindness, skin cancer and lung failure! However these harmful properties of Osmium can be taken away by exposing Osmium to the gas Argon before the oxidization process!
- Osmium is considered by many scientists to be "boring" or "normal" because it reacts in no surprising ways and is very predictable!!!
- Natural and Pure Osmium can only be formed several hundred thousand miles below the earths crust!!!
- Scientist are working on two new uses for Osmium; O.T. could be used as fingerprint detection, and some Osmium compounds could be used as high-tech bomb shells!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Osmium_cluster.jpg------
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Osmium_crystals.jpg------
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techreport.com------
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Basher Books The Periodic Table: Elements with Style!------
http://www.webelements.com/osmium/crystal_structure.html------
https://www.google.com/search?------hl=en&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1765&bih=995&q=periodic+table&oq=P&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.3187.3187.0.5592.1.1.0.0.0.0.48.48.1.1.0...0.0...1ac.1.7.img.mEQi1MONwhw#hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=periodic+table+states+of+matter&oq=periodic+table+stat&gs_l=img.1.0.0l2j0i24l3.12269.13425.0.15651.5.5.0.0.0.0.59.251.5.5.0...0.0...1c.1.7.img.QaxAkyL1Nfg&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.44342787,d.dmQ&fp=51ed65a4ebe340a4&biw=1765&bih=995&imgrc=tlO07nIkjM_9VM%3A%3BsDcdTZ5CwdLz6M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F0.tqn.com%252Fd%252Fchemistry%252F1%252F0%252FX%252Fu%252FPeriodicTableNaturalState.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fchemistry.about.com%252Fod%252Fperiodictables%252Fig%252FPrintable-Periodic----Tables%252FPeriodic-Table------
Element-State.htm%3B1000%3B773http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/lighting-ice-crystal-3dmodel/591989-----
Extra "stuff"
Periodic Table Of Elements! | |
File Size: | 11 kb |
File Type: | jpeg |
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