Osmium | Chemistry

The Seven Hills School, Cincinnatti, Ohio, U.S.A.

Osmium, 76, The Seven Hills School, Ohio USA

Osmium: The blue-gray metal osmium has an atomic number of 76, meaning it has 76 protons. This characteristic is represented on the tail of the space shuttle and also in the bottom, right corner. The space shuttle is included because its mirrors are coated with osmium. Osmium is most commonly found in impact craters created by meteorites, so osmium is depicted as part of a meteor in space. In the top, left corner is an interpretation of the nucleus of an osmium atom in the form of a planet, keep with the outer-space theme. The nucleus’s color reflects that of the metal, and the “rings” show the electron levels that surround the nucleus.

Brandon Malofsky, a sophomore chemistry and art student at The Seven Hills School, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.

Atomic properties*

Name:

Osmium

Symbol:

Os

Atomic number:

76

Atomic mass:

190.23 amu

Melting point:

3033°C

Boiling point:

5012°C

Density:

22.59 g/cm³

Electronegativity:

1.9

# of Isotopes:

7

State:

Solid

Colour:

Bluish-grey**

Classification:

Metallic**

* Haynes, W. M. (2011). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 91st edition: http://www.hbcponline.com/ Retrieved April 7, 2011

** Winter, M. (2010). Home of the Periodic Table. Retrieved April 8, 2011, from Web Elements: http://www.webelements.com/