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Why is osmium the densest element?

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The density of an element is related to how many atoms can be placed in a given volume and the weight of the nuclei. Therefore, the smaller the atomic radius of an atom and the higher the atomic number of the nucleus, the greater the density of the element. read more

Therefore, the smaller the atomic radius of an atom and the higher the atomic number of the nucleus, the greater the density of the element. The very small atomic radius of osmium results in a small metal-metal separation. This small atomic separation along with osmium's relatively high atomic number gives rise to osmium's high density. read more

Osmium (from Greek ὀσμή osme, "smell") is a chemical element with symbol Os and atomic number 76. It is a hard, brittle, bluish-white transition metal in the platinum group that is found as a trace element in alloys, mostly in platinum ores. Osmium is the densest naturally occurring element, with a density of 22.59 g/cm 3. read more

Normally, osmium is the densest element. However, the density of the element depends on many factors. These include the allotrope (form) of the element, the pressure, and the temperature, so there isn't a single value for density. read more

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Further Research

Facts About Osmium
www.livescience.com

What Is the Densest Element?
www.thoughtco.com