A man always sought to find materials that do not leave any chance of their competitors. Since ancient times, scientists were looking for the hardest materials in the world, the easiest and most difficult. Thirst for discoveries led to the opening of the perfect gas and perfectly black bodies. We present you the most amazing substances in the world.

1. Most black substance

Most black substance The world is called Vantablack and consists of a set of carbon nanotubes (see carbon and its allotropic modifications). Simply put, the material consists of a countless "hairs", hitting in which, the light bounces off from one tube to another. Thus, about 99.965% of the light flux is absorbed and only the insignificant part is reflected back out.
The opening of Vantablack opens up broad prospects for the use of this material in astronomy, electronics and optics.

2. The most fuel

Chlorine trifluoride is the most combustible substance from ever known humanity. It is the strongest oxidizing agent and reacts with almost all chemical elements. Chlorine trifluoride is able to burn concrete and easily flammable glass! The use of chlorine trifluoride is almost impossible due to its phenomenal flammability and the impossibility of ensuring the safety of use.

3. The most poisonous substance

The strongest poison is botulinumoxin. We know him called Botox, this is how it is called in cosmetology where he found its main application. Botoululovoxin is chemical substancewhich is allocated by Clostridium Botulinum bacteria. Besides the fact that botulinumoxin is the most poisonous substance, so it also has the biggest molecular weight Among proteins. The phenomenal poisonousness of the substance says the fact that only 0.00002 mg of mines / l of botulinum is just 0.00002 mg, so far to make a lesion zone fatally dangerous for humans.

4. The most hot substance

This is the so-called quark-gluon plasma. The substance was created using the collision of gold atoms at almost light velocity. Quark-gluon plasma has a temperature of 4 trillion degrees Celsius. For comparison, this indicator above the temperature of the sun is 250,000 times! Unfortunately, the life of the substance is limited to a trillional one trillion second.

5. The most caustic acid

In this nomination, the champion becomes fluority-antimunic acid H. fluority-antimony acid in 2 × 10 16 (two hundred quintillion) times more eaten than sulfuric acid. This is a very active substance that can explode when adding a small amount of water. Evaporation of this acid is mortally poisonous.

6. The most explosive substance

The most explosive substance is heptanitrocuban. It is very expensive and applies only for scientific research. But a little less explosive octogen is successfully used in military business and in geology when drilling wells.

7. The radioactive substance

"Polonium-210" - isotope polonium, which does not exist in nature, and is manufactured by a person. Used to create miniature, but at the same time, very powerful energy sources. It has a very short half-life and is therefore able to cause severe radiation disease.

8. The most severe matter

This is, of course, Fulleritis. Its hardness is almost 2 times higher than in natural diamonds. Learn more about Fullerite can be found in our article the hardest materials in the world.

9. The strongest magnet

The strongest magnet in the world consists of iron and nitrogen. Currently, the general public is not available on this substance, but it is already known that a new super magnet is 18% more powerful than the strongest magnets used now - neodymium. Neodymium magnets are made of neodymium, iron and boron.

10. Thermal substance

Superfluid helium II almost does not have viscosity at temperatures close to absolute zero. This property caused its unique property to leak and pour out from a vessel made from any solid material. Helium II has prospects for use as an ideal thermal conductory, in which heat does not dissipate.

Space. There is nothing more interesting and mysterious. From day to day, mankind increases his knowledge of the universe, at the same time expanding the boundaries of the unknown. Having received ten answers, we will ask more than a hundred questions - and so constantly. We collected the most interesting facts about the universe, in order not only to satisfy the curiosity of readers, but also to ignore their interest between the universe with a new force.

Moon runs away from us

The moon is distinguished from the Earth - yes, our satellite "runs away" from us at a speed of about 3.8 centimeters per year. What is it fraught with? With an increase in the radius of the lunar orbit, the size of the moon disk observed from the Earth is reduced. And this means that under threat, such a phenomenon as a complete solar eclipse.

In addition, some planets rotate from their star at a distance suitable for the existence of water in a liquid state. And this makes it possible to detect planets suitable for life. And already in the near future.

What they write in space

American scientists and cosmonauts have long thought over the handle's device, which could be written in space - while their Russian colleagues simply decided to use the usual stiffelen pencil in weightlessness, without changing it and without spending huge amounts for the development of concepts and experiments.

Diamond rains

According to Jupiter and Saturn there are diamond rains - in the upper layers of the atmosphere of these planets, thunder is constantly raging, and lightning discharges release carbon from methane molecules. Moving to the surface of the planet and overcoming hydrogen layers, exposed to gravity and huge temperatures, carbon turns into graphite, and then in diamond.

If you believe this hypothesis, up to ten million tons of diamonds can accumulate on gas giants! At the moment, the hypothesis still remains controversial - many scientists are confident that the share of methane in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn is too small, and with difficulty transforming even in soot, methane, most likely, simply dissolves.

These are just a little of the huge number of mysteries of the universe. Thousands of questions remain unanswered, we are not known about millions of phenomena and secrets - our generation is, what to strive for.

But we will try to tell more about space on the pages of the site. Subscribe to updates so as not to miss a new issue!

The most expensive metal in the world and the most dense substance on the planet

Posted on 01.02.2012 (relevant until 01.02.2013)

In nature, there are so many different metals and precious stones, the cost of which is very high for most inhabitants of the planet. About the precious stones people more or less have the idea what the most expensive, what are the most valued. But, this is how things are with metals, most people except gold and platinum know no expensive metals. What is the most expensive metal in the world? Curiosity of people has no boundaries, they are in search of answers to the most interesting questions. Learn the cost of the most expensive metal on the planet is not a problem, as it is not secret information.

Most likely, you first hear this name - isotope osmium 1870s. This chemical element And there is the most expensive metal in the world. You could see the name of such a chemical element in the Mendeleev table at number 76. Isotope Osmia is the most dense substance on the planet. Its density is 22.61 g / cm 3. Under normal standard conditions, the osmium has a silver color and has a sharp smell. This metal refers to a group of platinum metals. This metal is used in production. nuclear weapons, pharmaceutical, aerospace sphere, sometimes in jewelry.

But, now the main question is - how much is the most expensive metal in the world? Now its value in the black market is 200,000 dollars per gram. So, how to get the 1870s isotope is a very difficult task, few people will take for this business. Previously, in 2004, Kazakhstan officially offered one gram of pure isotope osmia for 10,000 dollars. Kazakhstan at one time became the first expert of expert metal, none of the country exhibited this metal for sale.

Osmia was opened by the English chemist Smithson Tennant in 1804. Osmium is obtained from enriched raw materials of platinum metals by calcining this concentrate in air at temperatures of 800-900 degrees Celsius. And so far, scientists replenish the Mendeleev table, receiving elements with incredible properties.

Many will say that there is even more expensive metal - it is California 252. The price of California 252 is $ 6,500,000 per gram. But it is worth considering the fact that the global stock of this metal is only a few grams. So, it is made only on two reactors in Russia and the United States for 20-40 micrograms per year. But, its properties are very impressive: 1MKG California gives more than 2 million neutrons per second. Last years This metal is used in medicine as a point neutron source for local treatment of malignant tumors.

Metals humanity began to actively use another 3000-4000 BC. Then people met themselves with the most common of them, it is gold, silver, copper. These metals were very easy to find on the ground surface. A little later, they knew chemistry and began to distinguish from them such species like tin, lead and iron. In the Middle Ages, very poisonous types of metals were gaining popularity. In everyday life was arsenic who was poisoned more than half of the Royal Court in France. Also, which helped cure various diseases of those times, ranging from angina and to the plague. Already up to the twentieth century, more than 60 metals were known, and at the beginning of the XXI century - 90. Progress does not stand still and leads humanity forward. But the question arises, what metal is hard and surpasses everything else? And in general what they are, these most heavy metals in the world?

Many mistakenly think that gold and lead are the heavier metals. Why exactly? Many of us grew up on old films and saw how the main character uses a lead plate for sewn from evil bullets. In addition, and today, lead plates use in some types of body armor. And with the word Gold, many float the picture with heavy slopes of this metal. But think that they are the hardest - mistaken!

To determine the heavy metal itself, it is necessary to take into account its density, because the more the density of the substance, the harder it is.

Top 10 of the most heavy metals in the world

1. Osmia (22.62 g / cm 3),
2. Iridium (22.53 g / cm 3),
3. Platinum (21.44 g / cm 3),
4. Rhenium (21.01 g / cm 3),
5. Neptune (20.48 g / cm 3),
6. Plutonium (19.85 g / cm 3),
7. Gold (19.85 g / cm 3)
8. Tungsten (19.21 g / cm 3),
9. Uranus (18.92 g / cm 3),
10. Tantalum (16.64 g / cm 3).

And where is lead? And it is located much lower in this list, in the middle of the second ten.

Osmia and Iridium are the hardest metals in the world

Consider the main heavyweights that divide 1 and 2 places. Let's start with Iridia and at the same time say the words of gratitude to the English scientist Smithson Tennat, which in 1803 received this chemical element from platinum, where he was attended with Osmim in the form of impurities. Iridium from the ancient Greek can be translated as "Rainbow". Metal has white color With a silver tint and it can be called not only heavy, but also the most durable. On our planet, it is very small and for the year it is made only up to 10,000 kg. It is known that most of the Iridi fields can be found in the fall of meteorites. Some scientists come to the idea that this metal was previously widespread on our planet, but because of its weight, he constantly squeezed himself closer to the center of the Earth. Iridium is widely in demand in industry and is used to produce electrical energy. Paleontologists also like it, and with the help of iridium, the age of many finds are determined. In addition, this metal can be used to cover some surfaces. But it is difficult to do it.

Next, consider osmium. He is the most difficult in the periodic table of Mendeleev, well, respectively, the most difficult metal in the world. Osmium has tin-white with a blue tint and also opened by Smithson Tennat simultaneously with Iridium. Osmia is almost impossible to process and, mostly, it is found on the floor of the fall of meteorites. It smells unpleasantly, the smell is similar to a mixture of chlorine and garlic. And with ancient Greek translated as "smell". The metal is quite refractory and used in bulbs and in other instruments with refractory metals. For one gram of this element, you must pay more than 10,000 dollars, from this it is clear that the metal is very rare.

How not to twist, the most heavy metals are big rarity and therefore they are expensive. And you need to remember for the future that neither gold nor lead is not the hardest metals in the world! Iridia and Osmia - Here are the winners in weight!

Density or more precisely, the bulk mass density of the substance is its mass per unit volume (indicated in kg / m3 ). In space itself tight object, observed to the present, is a neutron star - a collapsive core of a massive star, the mass of which is twice the mass of the Sun.But what about the earth?What is the tight material on earth?

1. Osmia, density: 22.59 g / cm3

Osmis, perhaps the most dense natural element on Earth, which refers to the precious platinum group of metals.This brilliant substance has twice the density of lead and slightly more than that of Iridia.For the first time, he was opened by Smithson Tennant and William Hyde Vollaston back in 1803, when they first isolated this stable element from platinum, it is mainly used in materials where high strength is extremely important.

2. Iridium, density: 22.56 g / cm3

Iridium is solid, brilliant and one of the most dense transition metals in the platinum group.It is also the most resistant to the corrosion of the metal, known to the present, even at extreme temperatures of 2000 ° C.It was opened in 1803 by Smithson Tennant among insoluble impurities in Nature Platinum.

3. Platinum, density: 21.45 g / cm3

Platinum is an extremely rare metal on Earth with an average of 5 micrograms per kilogram.South Africa is the largest manufacturer of platinum with 80% of world production, as well as a small deposit of the United States and Russia.It is a dense, plastic and non-reactive metal.

In addition to the symbol of prestige (jewelry or any similar accessories), platinum is used in various fields, such as the automotive industry, where it is used to produce car emission control devices and for oil refining.Other small applications include, for example, medicine and biomedicine, equipment for the production of glass, electrodes, antitumor preparations, oxygen sensors, spark plugs.

4. Rhenium, density: 21.2 g / cm 3

Element of rhenium named in honor of the riverRhine In Germany, after he was discovered by three German scientists in the early 1900s.Like other metals of the platinum group, rhenium is also a precious element of the Earth and has the second highest boiling point, the third highest melting point of any known element on Earth.

Because of such extreme properties of rhenium (in the form of superspals), it is widely used in turbine blades and moving nozzles of almost all jet engines worldwide.It is also one of the best reforming catalysts naphtha (liquid hydrocarbon mixture), isomerization and hydrogenation.

5. Plutonium, density: 19.82 g / cm3

Currently, plutonium is the most dense radioactive element in the world.For the first time he was allocated inlaboratory of the University of California in 1940When the researchers blew up uranium-238 in a huge cyclotron.Then the first major use of this deadly element in the Manhattan project, where a significant amount of plutonium was used to detonate the "fat man", nuclear weapons used in the Japanese city of Nagasaki.

6. Gold, density: 19.30 g / cm3

Gold is one of the most valuable, popular and demanded metals on Earth.Not only is according to the current understanding, gold actually comes from supernova explosions in distant space.According to periodic table, Gold belongs to a group of 11 elements known as transition metals.

7. Wolfram, density: 19.25 g / cm3

The most common use of tungsten in incandescent lamps and X-ray pipes, where it heat Melting is important for efficient operation in conditions of severe heat.In its pure form, its melting point is perhaps the highest of all metals found on Earth.China is the largest producer of tungsten in the world, then Russia and Canada follow.

Its extremely high tensile strength and relatively small weight also made it a suitable material for the production of grenades and shells, where it is doped with other heavy metals, such as iron and nickel.

8. Uranus, density: 19.1 g / cm3

Like thorium, uranium is also weakly radioactive.Naturally, uranium is contained in three different isotopes: uranium-238, uranium-235 and less frequent URAN-234.The existence of such an element was first discovered in 1789, but its radioactive properties were open only in 1896 by Eugene-Melchior Peligo, and his practical use was first applied in 1934.

9. Tantalum, density: 16.69 g / cm3

Tantalum refers to a refractory group of metals, which is a minor share in various types of alloys.It is solid, rare and has high corrosion-resistant, which makes it an ideal material for high-performance capacitors that are ideal for home computers and electronics.

Another important use of tantalum - in surgical instruments and inbody implants Because of his ability to directly bind to solid tissues inside our body.

10. Mercury, density: 13.53 g / cm 3

In my opinion, mercury is one of the most interesting elements of the periodic table.This is one of two solid elements, which becomes liquid at normal room temperature and pressure, and the other - bromine.The freezing temperature is -38.8 ° C, and boiling - about 356.7 ° C.