5 physical properties of osmium

In 1803AD, Osmium was discovered by Smithson Tennant when dissolving an impure sample of platinum in aqua regia, a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids. He was able to determine that the black powder left behind after dissolving the platinum was actually a mixture of two new elements, indium and osmium.

•Osmium is a bluish-white and shiny metal.

•Osmium is very hard and is brittle even at very high temperatures.

•Osmium has the lowast vapor pressure and the highest melting point among the platinum group of metals.

•Osmium's density is slightly more than iridium hence is credited as the heaviest element.