Discovered by Smithson Tennant of England in 1804, iridium is the 77th element on the periodic table. The word comes from the Latin word "iridis", which means rainbow. It has the most resistance out of all elements to corrosion- it can only be attacked by molten salts. It cannot be attacked by acids or aqua regia. It is naturally found in platinum and osmium, and is very difficult to work with because it is very brittle. It is only a TINY bit less dense than osmium, which is the most dense element.It is commonly used in:
- High strength alloys that can withstand high temperatures
- Electrical contacts
- Hardening agent for platinum
- Crucibles
- Compass bearings
- LED technology
- Radiation therapy to treat prostate and other cancers
- Spark plus for internal combustion engines
- Fountain pen nibs
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