Iridium is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Ir and atomic number 77. A dense, very hard, brittle, silvery-white transition metal of the platinum family, iridium is used in high strength alloys that can withstand high temperatures and occurs in natural alloys with platinum or osmium. Iridium is notable for being the most corrosion resistant element known and for its association with the demise of the dinosaurs, in the form of a meteorite strike. It is used in high temperature apparatus, electrical contacts, and as a hardening agent for platinum.
The measured density of this element is only slightly lower than that of osmium, which is often listed as the heaviest element known. However, calculations of density from the space lattice may produce more reliable data for these elements than actual measurements and give a density of 22650 kg/m³ for iridium versus 22610 kg/m³ for osmium. Definitive selection between the two is therefore not possible at this time.
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ChemGlobe: Iridium - Electronic, thermal, and steric data along with an isotope table.
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Radiochemistry of Iridium - Full text of the monograph by G. W. Leddicotte (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee). [PDF]
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Wikipedia: Iridium - Properties of the element, including its history, applications, and characteristics.
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