44Ru101.07
Ruthenium
Transition metalsHard, shiny metals that conduct heat and electricity well and often form coloured compounds.
[Kr] 4d⁷ 5s¹
- Atomic number
- 44
- Atomic mass
- 101.07
- Protons
- 44
- Neutrons
- 57 (most common)
- Electrons
- 44
- Shells
- 2, 8, 18, 15, 1
- State at 25 °C
- Solid
- Position
- Group 8, period 5
Proton (+)Neutron (0)Electron (−)
Discovered byKarl Ernst Claus, 1844Karl Ernst Claus: 1 element
Claus found it in platinum ore from the Ural Mountains and named it after Ruthenia, a Latin name for Russia.
Did you know?
- It is one of the rarest metals on Earth.
- A little ruthenium makes platinum much harder.
Where it's found
- Platinum ores
What it's used for
- Hard-wearing electrical contacts
- Computer hard drives
- Platinum jewellery alloys
Try it
There's no safe home experiment for Ruthenium. Explore it with the animated atom above instead.