
Iridium element (Ir) is in group 9 and period 6 of a periodic table. Iridium is in the d-block and it is classified as a transition element on the periodic table.
There is a lot more information related to iridium which is mentioned in the Information Table given below.
So let’s dive right into it!
Table of contents
- Iridium element (Information Table)
- Iridium element in Periodic table
- Facts about Iridium
- Properties of Iridium
- Uses of Iridium
Iridium Element (Information Table)
The important data related to iridium element is given in the table below.
Appearance of iridium | Silvery white metallic surface |
Atomic number of iridium | 77 |
Symbol of iridium | Ir |
Atomic mass of iridium | 192.22 u |
Protons, Neutrons & Electrons in iridium | Protons: 77, Neutrons: 115, Electrons: 77 |
State of iridium (at STP) | Solid |
Group number of iridium in periodic table | 9 |
Period number of iridium in periodic table | 6 |
Block of iridium in periodic table | d-block |
Category of iridium | Transition metals |
Bohr model or Electrons per shell or Electrons arrangement in iridium | 2, 8, 18, 32, 15, 2 |
Electron configuration of iridium | [Xe] 4f14 5d7 6s2 |
Orbital diagram of iridium | ![]() |
Electronegativity of iridium (on pauling scale) | 2.2 |
Atomic radius of iridium (van der Waals radius) | 202 picometers |
Density of iridium | 22.56 g/cm3 |
1st ionization energy of iridium | 9.1 eV |
Main isotope of iridium | 193Ir |
Melting point of iridium | 2719 K or 2446 °C or 4435 °F |
Boiling point of iridium | 4403 K or 4130 °C or 7466 °F |
Crystal structure of iridium | Face Centered Cubic (FCC) |
Discovery of iridium | By Smithson Tennant in 1803 |
Also see: Interactive Periodic Table (It has rotating bohr models as well as many other details of all the 118 elements in a single periodic table).
Iridium element in Periodic table
The Iridium element (Ir) has the atomic number 77 and is located in group 9 and period 6. Iridium is a metal and it is classified as a transition element.
H | He | ||||||||||||||||
Li | Be | B | C | N | O | F | Ne | ||||||||||
Na | Mg | Al | Si | P | S | Cl | Ar | ||||||||||
K | Ca | Sc | Ti | V | Cr | Mn | Fe | Co | Ni | Cu | Zn | Ga | Ge | As | Se | Br | Kr |
Rb | Sr | Y | Zr | Nb | Mo | Tc | Ru | Rh | Pd | Ag | Cd | In | Sn | Sb | Te | I | Xe |
Cs | Ba | La* | Hf | Ta | W | Re | Os | Ir | Pt | Au | Hg | Tl | Pb | Bi | Po | At | Rn |
Fr | Ra | Ac** | Rf | Db | Sg | Bh | Hs | Mt | Ds | Rg | Cn | Nh | Fl | Mc | Lv | Ts | Og |
*Ce | Pr | Nd | Pm | Sm | Eu | Gd | Tb | Dy | Ho | Er | Tm | Yb | Lu | ||||
**Th | Pa | U | Np | Pu | Am | Cm | Bk | Cf | Es | Fm | Md | No | Lr |
Facts about iridium
Here are a few interesting facts about the iridium element.
- Smithson Tennant was the chemist who discovered the iridium element in the year 1803.
- Iridium was given its name from the Latin word “Iris”, meaning rainbow.
- Iridium is the 2nd most dense element after osmium.
- Machining of iridium metal is very difficult as it is very hard.
- The concentration of iridium in the earth’s crust is only 0.4 parts per billion, which is very rare.
Properties of iridium
Here is a list of some physical properties and chemical properties of iridium.
Physical properties of iridium
- Iridium has a silvery white metallic appearance.
- Iridium has FCC crystal structure.
- Iridium has many isotopes, and the most abundant isotope is 193Ir.
- Iridium has a density of 22.56 g/cm3 and its atomic mass is 192.22 amu.
- The melting point and boiling point of iridium is 2719 K and 4403 K respectively.
Chemical properties of iridium
- Iridium is unreactive to most of the acids.
- Iridium reacts with the atmospheric oxygen at higher temperatures.
- Iridium reacts with sulfur to give iridium disulfide.
- Iridium reacts with salts like NaCl and NaCN.
Uses of iridium
Here are some uses of the iridium element.
- Iridium is mostly used as an alloying element with other metals to make them hard.
- Iridium is also used in crucible furnaces because it can resist high temperatures..
- Iridium is also used in making electrical contacts as well as fountain pen tips.
- The platinum-iridium alloy was used to make the international standard kilogram weight. (it contains 10% iridium and 90% platinum).
- Iridium is also used in crucible furnaces because it can resist high temperatures.
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