Lexic.us

Definition of Osmium

1. Noun. A hard brittle blue-grey or blue-black metallic element that is one of the platinum metals; the heaviest metal known.

Definition of Osmium

1. n. A rare metallic element of the platinum group, found native as an alloy in platinum ore, and in iridosmine. It is a hard, infusible, bluish or grayish white metal, and the heaviest substance known. Its tetroxide is used in histological experiments to stain tissues. Symbol Os. Atomic weight 191.1. Specific gravity 22.477.

Definition of Osmium

1. Noun. a heavy metallic chemical element (''symbol'' Os) with an atomic number of 76 ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Osmium

1. a metallic element [n -S] : OSMIC, OSMIOUS [adj]

Medical Definition of Osmium

1. A rare metallic element of the platinum group, found native as an alloy in platinum ore, and in iridosmine. It is a hard, infusible, bluish or grayish white metal, and the heaviest substance known. Its tetroxide is used in histological experiments to stain tissues. Symbol Os. Atomic weight 191.1. Specific gravity 22.477. Origin: Gr. A smell, odour, akin to to smell. So named in allusion to the strong chlorinelike odour of osmic tetroxide. See Odour. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Osmium

Literary usage of Osmium

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. International Catalogue of Scientific Literature by Royal Society (Great Britain). (1908)
"Wintrebert, L. Dérivés salins de l'osmium hexavalent. Bordeaux, Proc. ... of osmium in soluble compounds. C'liem. News, London, 91, 1905, (172-174). ..."

2. Elements of Inorganic Chemistry: Including the Applications of the Science by Thomas Graham (1858)
"99-56 or 1244-5; Os. In the treatment of the alloy of iridium and osmium, the latter is ... The osmium is reduced by the mercury, and an amalgam formed, ..."

3. Elements of Chemistry: Theoretical and Practical by William Andrew Miller (1873)
"The specific gravity of osmium in the pulverulent form is about Id, but after it has been heated to the fusing-point of rhodium in the oxyhydrogen jet, ..."

4. Standard Methods of Chemical Analysis: A Manual of Analytical Methods and by Wilfred Welday Scott (1922)
"DETECTION osmium occurs with platinum ores as a natural alloy with iridium ... When strongly heated in contact with air, the finely divided osmium burns and ..."

5. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and (1911)
"452) by reducing osmium compounds with hydrazine hydrate in the presence of ... Several oxides of osmium are known. The protoxide, OsO, is obtained as a ..."

6. Analytical Chemistry by Frederick Pearson Treadwell (1921)
"Very finely-divided osmium is oxidized by the air f at ordinary ... Behavior towards Adds. — In the compact condition osmium is insoluble in all acids; ..."

7. A Treatise on Chemistry by Henry Enfield Roscoe, Carl Schorlemmer (1884)
"osmium Monoxide, OsO, is obtained when the corresponding sulphite mixed with carbonate of soda is ignited in a current of carbon dioxide. ..."

Other Resources: