rhodium (Rh)
A moderately hard, silvery-white, metallic element belonging to the platinum group of transition elements. Rhodium was discovered by William Wollaston in London in 1803; its name comes from the Greek rhodon meaning "rose." It occurs associated with platinum and its chief source is a by-product of nickel smelting.
Rhodium resists tarnishing and corrosion; it is used in hard platinum alloys, as a mirror surface, to plate jewellery, and in an alloy with platinum as a catalyst in the Ostwald process. Its most common isotope is 103Rh (100%).
| atomic number |
45 |
| relative atomic mass |
102.91 |
| electron configuration |
[Kr]4d8 5s1 |
| relative density |
12.4 |
| melting point |
1,966°C (3,571°F) |
| boiling point |
3,727°C (6,741°F) |
Related category
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
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