Ruthenium
Ruthenium, #44 on the periodic table, is hard, white, metallic, and oxidizes at about
800 degrees C. It is used as a hardener in gold and platinum jewelery. It has an atomic
mass of 101.07 amu, a specific gravity of 12.37, it has been known to have every + valence,
and its electron levels are 2-8-18-15-1. A member of the iron triad, it was discovered
in 1844 by Karl Klaus of Russia. Ru melts at 2336.85 segrees C, and boils at 4151.85
degrees C. Ru is not attacked by hot ro cold acids or aqua regia, (the only solution known
to dissolve gold) but it oxidizes explosively when potassium chlorate is added to the solution.
Ru is similar to osmium in its properties, and ruthenium-molybdenum alloys are superconductive
at very low temperatures. Ru is a good hardener, especially for platinum and palladium.
May 19, 1997
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