The Element Osmium


Osmium is a hard, brittle, blue-gray or blue-black transition metal belonging to the platinum family. In its metallic form osmium is extremely dense and lustrous even at high temperatures. The element is so heavy that it is estimated that a chunk of osmium of the size of a foot ball will be too much of a weight for a person to carry.

Osmium is a very difficult metal to fabricate but its powder can be sintered in a hydrogen atmosphere at a temperature of 2000C. Further more it is known that although the solid metal is not affected by air at room temperature, the powdered or spongy metal slowly gives off osmium tetroxide, which is a powerful oxidising agent bearing a strong smell.

Atomic Number & Chemical Properties


Element Basics:

Chemical Symbol: Os
Atomic Number: 76
Atomic Weight: 190.23
Element Classification: Transition Metal
Discovered By: Smithson Tenant
Date of Discovery: 1804 (England)
Origin of Name: Greek: osme (odor).

How to Recognize it at a Party:

Blue-white, lustrous, hard metal

Seriously Atomic Information:

Density (g/cc): 22.57
Melting Point (°K): 3327
Boiling Point (°K): 5300
Atomic Radius (pm): 135
Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 8.43
Covalent Radius (pm): 126
Ionic Radius: 69 (+6e) 88 (+4e)
Pauling Negativity Number: 2.2
First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 819.8
Oxidation States: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 0, -2
Electronic Configuration: [Xe] 4f14 5d6 6s2

Getting Intimate with Osmium:

Lattice Structure: Hexagonal (HEX)
Lattice Constant (Å): 2.740
Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.579
Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 0.131
Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 31.7
Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 738
Thermal Conductivity (@25°C W/m K):
Debye Temperature (°K): n/a


Society's Questions About Osmium:

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