Sneaky and dangerous! Osmium meets Oxygen
Powdered osmium slowly reacts with oxygen in the air to make osmium tetroxide, a gas with a sharp smell.
The result
- What it makes
- Osmium tetroxide
- Equation
- Os + 2O₂ → OsO₄
- When it happens
- Slowly in air, faster when heated
Fun fact from Fizzy: The name osmium comes from the Greek word for smell, because of this gas!
🥽 Osmium tetroxide is very poisonous and can damage eyes. Only experts handle it.