Rhodium

Located Group 9 and Period 5 of the Periodic Table is one of the rarest and the most valuable metal in the world. This is Rhodium.

First discovered by William Hyde Wollaston in 1803 and also isolated by William Hyde Wollaston, also in 1803.

Rhodium was discovered as well as isolated by William Hyde Wollaston when he was studying a Platinum Ore, which, that time was not actually well known by scientists. However, scientists that time knew that Platinum Ore might have came from South America. As for what element it contains, most of the scientist are clueless.

William Hyde Wollaston

So, because of this, William decided to study this ore. While studying this ore, he successfully isolated an element, which after that was called Palladium, which he discovered in 1802. Rhodium was discovered the following year, which is 1803, also discovered in the same ore where Palladium was discovered.

William described a beautiful rose - colored compound he founded a year after Palladium's discovery. He predicted that the Rose pink compound might be a hint of a new element. After a few researches, it was finally proven a new element in 1803 which after that William named it Rhodium.

How Palladium looks like

Because Rhodium is highly resistant to corrosion and highly reflective, Rhodium is considered as one of the most valuable elements and that Rhodium is used in most jewelries.

Of course, such perfect element is of course rare, which only existed as 0.0001 parts per million on Earth. It is really one of the rarest element on Earth, also the most Valuable element on earth.

Rhodium can be found in ores existing with Platinum or other members of the Platinum group. Some of the ores are Rhodite, Sperrylite and Irrdosmine.

Sperrylite

Rhodium - made jewelries increases shine, its durability, and also more resisting to scratching, also, the jewelry made by Rhodium will also have lesser chance of tarnishing, unlike Silver, which tarnishes easily.

However, Rhodium - made jewelries are often expensive. Some quality Rhodium - made wedding rings can range around 60 USD to 120 USD, and its just the size of a wedding ring! Still, despite all its benefits mention above, Rhodium actually deserve to be very expensive.

Atomic Number : 45
Name : Rhodium
Latin Name : Rhodon
Electrons per shell : [ 2, 8, 18, 16, 1 ]
Discoverer : William Hyde Wollaston ( 1803 )
Isolator : William Hyde Wollaston ( 1803 )
Element's : Atomic Mass : 102.9055 u
                  : Density : 12.41 cm/g³
                  : Type : Transition Metals
Chemical Properties : 

• Rhodium is, shockingly, an almost non reactive metal
• Doesn't react with Fluorine, which is an element who reacts nearly every element
• Combines slowly with oxygen when heated
• Reacts with Chlorine when very hot
• Reacts with Bromine when very hot
• 58 isotopes : 3 of them are :
      Rhodium - 101 : Protons : 45

  

  Rhodium - 103

  
                               : Neutrons : 56
                               : Electrons : 45
     ( Half Life : 3.3 years )
  
      Rhodium - 102 : Protons : 45
                               : Neutrons : 57
                               : Electrons : 45
     ( Half Life : 207 days )
  
      Rhodium - 103 : Protons : 45
                               : Neutrons : 58
                               : Electrons : 45
     ( Half Life : Stable )

Physical Properties :

• Silver - white color
• Shiny surface
• Good conductor of Electricity
• Good Conductor of Heat
• Melting Point : 1966 degrees Celsius ( 3571 Fahrenheit )
• Boiling Point : 4500 degrees Celsius ( 8100 Fahrenheit )

How Rhodium got its name?

Rhodium got its name from its Rose - pink color, Rhodon, meaning Rose in Greek.

Uses

Rhodium can be made or coated into long durability jewelries such as wedding rings, necklaces, earrings and more.

Rhodium is also used as an alloy in the United States. Rhodium is often alloyed with Platinum to create a higher melting point and also a harder resistant to scratch alloy. 

In Search - Lights

Rhodium alloys are also used for researches purposes too, where it was made into Laboratory Equipment and Thermocuples, which is a device to measure high temperatures. Rhodium was chosen because of its high melting point. Rhodium is also used to coat mirrors and also in - search lights because their ability to reflect very well, too.

THIS IS THE END OF RHODIUM
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