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Glite Dictionary
ruthenium

ruthenium

1 9.9
A rare silvery-white metal used in electronics and as a catalyst
  • noun
  • /ruːˈθiːniəm/
  • Specialized
: rutenio
  • We studied the hydroesterification reaction of 2-pyridylmethyl formate with alkenes using a ruthenium catalytic system to provide one-carbon elongated esters.
  • ruthenium atom
  • ruthenium complex
  • ruthenium and rhodium

They can measure the amount of Iridium or other group platinum, ruthenium, zirconium, other platinum group metals.

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Examples

  • Yaru bent to examine the small piles of rhodium, palladium, and ruthenium with a hard, skeptical eye.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • "Lynn's assay on the spectacular deposit I'd stumbled on showed the entire happy family: ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, and iridium.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • A hydride can attack the ruthenium like that.

  • They can measure the amount of Iridium or other group platinum, ruthenium, zirconium, other platinum group metals.

    Shawn Ryan Show

  • D.S.A. (dimensionally stable) electrodes are titanium coated with iridium, ruthenium, and titanium oxides.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Scientists still frequently use the rare noble metal ruthenium as a catalyst for artificial photosynthesis.

  • The light-absorbing units contain ruthenium atoms that enhance their efficiency.

  • When the researchers shone light on it, the ruthenium complex glowed brightly.

Synonyms

Ru
vsruthenium
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Chemical symbol for a rare hard metal used in electronics and alloys

focuses on silvery colour and use as a catalyst

Surface Forms

ruthenium singular
rutheniums plural

Morphology

ruthenium = Ruthenia (semi-transparent) = ruthen + ium

The suffix '-ium' signals a chemical element (so form gives a useful cue), but the root 'ruthen' is an obscure place-name combining form and not a productive English base, so the exact meaning is not fully predictable.

Etymology

Ruthenium comes from Ruthenia, the old Latin name for 'Russia', because the metal was first found in minerals from that region. So thinking 'a metal from Russia' can help you remember ruthenium is a rare silvery metal used in electronics and to help chemical reactions.