What is the heaviest metal?

The title of the article can be "Heaviest Metal".

Heaviest Metal

The heaviest metal is Osmium.

While there can be some debate around the precise measurement of density and the classification of "metal," Osmium consistently ranks as the densest naturally occurring element. Its density is approximately 22.59 g/cm³.

Important factors to consider when discussing the "heaviest metal" include:

  • Density: Density, which is mass per unit volume, is the key property used to determine the heaviest metal.
  • Measurement%20Challenges: Accurately measuring the density of these materials is difficult, which causes small variations in reported values.
  • Alloys: Alloys, which are mixtures of metals, can sometimes exceed the density of pure elements. However, the question typically refers to elemental metals.
  • Iridium: Iridium is very close to osmium in density, and some sources may list it as the densest depending on the specific values used. The difference is small and often within the margin of error of measurement.

Osmium is a hard, brittle, bluish-white transition metal in the platinum group. It is found as a trace element in alloys, mostly in platinum ores. It has applications in electrical contacts, fountain pen tips and other applications where extreme durability and hardness are needed.