This base list of ten elements are the “heaviest” by its density of each cubic cm. However, please note that density is not mass, it just describes how closely packed together the mass is. Now we understand that, let’s take a look at the heaviest elements in the entire known universe… (The main image is a bismuth crystal that didn’t make it on the list)
Tantalum
10 – Tantalum (Density Per Cubic cm: 16.67g)
Tantalum atomic number is seventy-three. This blue-grey metal is very hard and also has a super high melting point.
Uranium
9 – Uranium (Density Per Cubic cm: 19.05g)
Discovered in 1789 by German chemist Martin H. Klaprot, poor uranium was not fully isolated until almost a hundred years later in 1841!
Tungsten
8 – Tungsten (Density Per Cubic cm: 19.26g)
Tungsten exists in four different minerals and is also the heaviest of all elements known to play a biological role.
Gold
7 – Gold (Density Per Cubic cm: 19.29g)
They say money doesn’t grow on trees, but gold does! Small traces of gold have been found in the leaves of Eucalyptus trees.
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Plutonium
6 – Plutonium (Density Per Cubic cm: 20.26g)
Plutonium displays a colourful oxidation state in aqueous solution and may also spontaneously change oxidation states and colours! The chameleon of elements.
Neptunium
5 – Neptunium (Density Per Cubic cm: 20.47g)
Named after the planet Neptune it was discovered by professor Edwin McMillan in 1940. It was also the first synthetic transuranium element of the actinide series to be discovered.
Rhenium
4 – Rhenium (Density Per Cubic cm: 21.01g)
Rhenium comes from the Latin ‘Rhenus’ meaning ‘Rhine’ and was discovered by Walter Noddack in Germany 1925.
Platinum
3 – Platinum (Density Per Cubic cm: 21.45g)
One of the more precious metals on this list (other than gold) and it is used to make just about everything. As a weird fact, all of the Platinum ever mined (every last bit) would fit in the average size living room! Not a lot indeed (Try doing that with gold).
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Iridium
2 – Iridium (Density Per Cubic cm: 22.56g)
Discovered in London in 1803 by Smithson Tennant, he found it in the residue left when crude platinum had been dissolved! Yep, discovered purely by chance.
Osmium
1 – Osmium (Density Per Cubic cm: 22.59g)
It doesn’t get any heavier (per cubed cm) than Osmium. Weirdly its name comes from the Greek term osme, which means smell!