45

Rh

Rhodium
102.90550 (2)
Historical Information

Rhodium was discovered by William Hyde Wollaston at 1803 in England. Origin of name: from the Greek word "rhodon" meaning "rose". William Hyde Wollaston discovered rhodium in 1803-4 in crude platinum ore from South America rather soon after his discovery of another element, palladium.

Basic Information Shells
  • Name: Rhodium
  • Symbol: Rh
  • Atomic number: 45
  • Atomic weight: 102.90550 (2)
  • Standard state: solid at 298 K
  • Group in periodic table: 9
  • Group name:Precious metal or Platinum group metal
  • Period in periodic table: 5
  • Block in periodic table: d-block
  • Classification: Metallic
 rhodium
Uses Trivia
  • used for jewellery
  • industrial catalyst

Rhodium metal is silvery white. Rhodium has a higher melting point and lower density than platinum. It has a high reflectance and is hard and durable. Upon heating it turns to the oxide when red and at higher temperatures turns back to the element.