Rhodium

Discovered by William Wollaston of England in 1803, rhodium is the 45th element. The name is greek for "rhodon rose", as rhodium salts create a rosy colored solution. But rhodium isn't always in salt form, and unlike salt, the metal is a silvery white.

 When exposed to red heat, the metal will change in air to sesquioxide. At higher temperatures it will often revert to its elemental form. Rhodium is one of the only metals that has a higher melting point than platinum.

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.