A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Why is osmium the most dense element?

Best Answers

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

Osmium is the most dense element because it has the most mass in the smallest amount of space. Density is mass divided by volume. An element with more neutrons will be denser, because neutrons have roughly the same mass as a proton. read more

Osmium is the densest naturally occurring element, with a density of 22.59 g/cm 3. Manufacturers use its alloys with platinum, iridium, and other platinum-group metals to make fountain pen nib tipping, electrical contacts, and in other applications that require extreme durability and hardness. 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

Image Answers

Further Research