heaviest metal

[StephenG]

What is the heaviest solid metal

[brachiopod]

Osmium, Os

[Hamish]

Irridium. Osmium 22.61 gcm^3; Irridium 22.65 gcm^3.

[brachiopod]

Aah yes, forgot about Iridium.

[brachiopod]

Aah yes, forgot about Iridium.

The above density figures are based on crystallographic analysis of a single crystal. This usually makes Iridium the denser element.

However, measurement of 'specific gravity' using more massive polycrystalline samples of the respective elements (as would be found if, say, you had an 'ingot' of the stuff), gives Osmium to be the denser of the two.

It's one of those arguments that's been running for years, the answer varying according to how you qualify the question.

(* Sorry about repeat posting - don't know what's going on * )

[g7vgg]

There are lots of solid metals heavier than Irridium, Gold and Lead for instance, or did you mean solid in terms of strength, toughness etc?