Rhodium
| Atomic Number: | 45 |
| Symbol: | Rh |
| Atomic weight: | 102.9055 |
| Discovery: | Wollaston 1803-1804 |
| Electron Configuration: | [Kr]5s14d8 |
| Word Origin: | Greek rhodon rose |
| Properties: | Rhodium metal is silvery-white. When exposed to red heat, the metal slowly changes in air to the sesquioxide. At higher temperatures it converts back to its elemental form. Rhodium has a higher melting point and lower density than platinum. The melting point of rhodium is 1966 +/-3°C, boiling point 3727 +/-100°C, specific gravity 12.41 (20°C), with a valence of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. |
| Uses: | One major use of rhodium is as an alloying agent to harden platinum and palladium. Because it has a low electrical resistance, rhodium is useful as an electrical contact material. Rhodium has a low and stable contact resistance and is highly resistant to corrosion. Plated rhodium is very hard and has a high reflectance, which makes it useful for optical instruments and jewelry. Rhodium is also used as a catalyst in certain reactions. |
| Sources: | Rhodium occurs with other platinum metals in river sands in the Urals and in North and South America. It is found in the copper-nickel sulfide ores of the Sudbury, Ontario region. |
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