Is osmium stable or unstable?

Osmium is the rarest stable element in the Earth’s crust. It is a lustrous, blue-gray or blue-black transition metal in the platinum family. It is very hard and brittle, and has a very high melting point (the fourth highest of all the elements), making it difficult to work with.

Is osmium stable?

Physical properties Osmium has a blue-gray tint and is the densest stable element; it is approximately twice as dense as lead and slightly denser than iridium.

Where can you find osmium naturally?

Osmium occurs in iridosule and in platinum-bearing river sands in the Urals, North America, and South America. It is also found in the nickel-bearing ores of Sudbury, Ontario region along with other platinum metals.

Is osmium toxic?

Osmium tetroxide is acutely toxic. It is a severe irritant (eyes, respiratory tract) and can cause irreversible eye damage. Direct contact to the eyes may cause blindness. Osmium tetroxide causes long-term toxicity to liver and kidneys.

How many stable isotopes does osmium have?

seven
Periodic Table–Osmium. Osmium has seven naturally-occurring isotopes, all of which are stable: 184Os, 186Os, 187Os, 188Os, 189Os, 190Os, and (most abundant) 192Os.

Does osmium react with oxygen?

It can be dissolved by fused alkalies, especially if an oxidizing agent such as sodium chlorate is present. Osmium will react at 200° C with air or oxygen to form OsO4.

Is osmium safe for jewelry?

Osmium – While it’s the densest element, osmium can be brittle in jewelry so its design should be considered carefully. Pure osmium can also be toxic in its natural form, where it has a bluish-white color. When it’s made into a safe alloy for jewelry, it’s usually bluish-gray.

Is pure osmium toxic?

The metal is not toxic, but its oxide is volatile and very toxic, causing lung, skin and eye damage. Osmium occurs uncombined in nature and also in the mineral osmiridium (an alloy with iridium).

Does osmium conduct electricity?

Osmium (Os): As the densest and hardest of the group, osmium is often alloyed with other PGMs such as platinum and iridium. Osmium also is an excellent conductor of electricity and an effective oxidation catalyst.

What is pure osmium used for?

It is the densest of all the elements and is twice as dense as lead. Osmium has only a few uses. It is used to produce very hard alloys for fountain pen tips, instrument pivots, needles and electrical contacts. It is also used in the chemical industry as a catalyst.